An old estate used to be located on the property before Portmeirion was built. It was called "Aber Iâ" (). The hotel and three cottages, which are named "White Horses", "Mermaid", and "The Salutation", are part of the original estate. It was built in the 1850s. Before the estate, there was a foundry and a boatyard on site. There is also an old site which has a small group of remains from a mediaeval castle nearby.