History of Portclew House
From a historic coastal residence to a welcoming guesthouse and holiday cottages, Portclew House has been part of the Pembrokeshire landscape for generations.
A House with a Rich Pembrokeshire Heritage
Portclew House has been part of the Pembrokeshire landscape for generations. From its early beginnings as a grand coastal residence to the welcoming guesthouse and holiday cottages it is today, the house carries a fascinating story shaped by the families who lived here and the history of the surrounding area.
In the 19th century, Portclew House was owned by Thomas Josiah Wedgwood, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Scots Fusilier Guards and grandson of Josiah Wedgwood, the celebrated potter and founder of the Wedgwood Company. Thomas married Anne in 1836 and, shortly after retiring from the army, they made Portclew their home. After several happy years here, they later settled in Tenby.
The house was subsequently owned by the distinguished Morison family of Pembrokeshire. Colonel William Morison served in the Honourable East India Company, and his son, Alexander Morison, was a medical doctor who graduated from the University of Edinburgh. Alexander lived at Portclew with his wife Mary and their seven children until his death in 1899. Mary remained here with her five daughters until the house was let to Major James Donelly Sherer around 1910.
Over the following decades, Portclew House changed hands several times, including ownership by James Arthur Richards in 1922 and to the Uphill family in 1937. Edward and Marjorie Uphill lived at Portclew with their two daughters, Margaret and Dorothy. Margaret married into the Phillips family who were farmers and they farmed the surrounding land. This continues today as part of Windsor Farm in Lamphey, maintaining the property’s long connection to the local landscape.
In 1996, Sarah and Stephen Jackson purchased Portclew House and moved in with their three sons, Geraint, Craig, and Matthew. The house had stood empty for several years. With great care and dedication, they lovingly restored both the main house and its outbuildings, transforming them into the welcoming guesthouse and holiday cottages you see today. Portclew House opened its doors to guests in 2001, beginning a new chapter in its long and fascinating history. Geraint and his wife, Cheryl, have now joined the business and also live here with their three sons.