Introduction
Why choose Ivy Court
The Country Park
The Surroundings
Maps
History
As others see us
How to get here
Contact us/Links
Before renovation
After renovation
Renovation in progress
History of Ivy Court Cottages
Until the late 1960's the tiny Pembrokeshire village of Llys-y-Fran was largely unknown. It consisted of a few houses, three farms and a Celtic church on a ridge of land overlooking the deep valley of the river Syfynwy.
In 1971 - with the completion of the 100 ft. high dam - a 200 acre lake was created and a country park formed within the surrounding woods and pastureland. Llys-y-Fran Reservoir Country Park soon became a popular location for anglers, cyclists, walkers, or visitors who simply enjoy the tranquillity of the park.
The whereabouts of the original village, tucked away at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac, remained a secret to all but a few. Although no dwellings or buildings were submerged beneath the deep waters of the lake, the loss of land severely effected the village farms: remaining land was sold off, and farmhouses and outbuildings became redundant.
Within a few years, as slates began to slip from the roofs, it seemed that most of the village would be reclaimed by crows - the original inhabitants from whom the Welsh name is derived (Llys-y-Fran translated literally means "court of the crows"). The threat of dereliction was averted when the farmhouse and buildings of Ivy House were purchased along with the adjoining Lower House. The outcome of more than twenty years of restoration and innovation is Ivy Court - an enchanting cottage holiday retreat.
Read what others have written about Ivy Court
