• "It's an extraordinary house with a very, very dense history"

    Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

  • "Rarely seen and scarecely equalled by any other house of its character in the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan"

    The Glamorgan Gazette, 20th March 1914

  • “The gardens at Llanmihangel Place are registered for their historic interest as an exceptionally rare survival, intact and largely unaltered”

    Cadw

Plas Llanmihangel dates back to the 12th century, with the earliest part of the house being the stone vaulted undercroft. This very early structure was held by the Norriss family of Penlline. 

The Plas was predominantly expanded during the 15th and 16th centuries. Toward the end of the 15th century, ownership of Plas Llanmihangel was with the prominent aristocratic Thomas family. The vast fireplace in the Great Hall includes the coat of arms of the Thomas family etched into the stonework above the fire. During the reign of King Henry VIII, James Thomas was a Justice of the Peace. A Justice of the Peace was a key member of government during this period, responsible for keeping law and order in their local area. He held this title from 1548-1559 and became Sheriff of the County in 1551.

Edward Thomas of Llanmihangel was Sheriff in 1633 and was created a baronet in 1642 and supported the Crown during the Civil Wars. Around 1680, the house was sold to Humphrey Edwin, an extremely wealthy London merchant and prominent Whig, who was Sheriff of London in 1688 and later became Lord Mayor. The building remained in the Edwin family before becoming property of the Earl of Dunraven.

Inside the manor house retains features from its long history including the finest surviving intact late Elizabethan decorative plasterwork ceiling, carved frieze panels, vaulted chambers and enormous fireplaces (including a hearth in the breakfast room over 10 feet in width). The beautiful gardens are in exceptional condition having been hardly altered for hundreds of years. They are registered for their historic interest, including listed stone steps and a Queen Anne cross of trees.

In the 18th century the house passed via marriage into the Wyndham family and formed part of the Dunraven Estate. Thereafter the house was tenanted until finally being sold in 1824. Plas Llanmihangel was extensively restored between 1869-1882. 

Bought by Sue & David Beer in 1988 (pictured bottom left), the couple lovingly restored the property over the next 35 years, running the property as a very popular B&B during their time. Plas Llanmihangel was most recently purchased by the John’s family in October 2022. The current custodians of this wonderful historic home have been responsible for the most recent extensive renovation work.