Historically, the family have played a huge part in the development of the city. In the 19th Century, David Evans of Triago Farm, St. Davids, diversified from farming with the purchase of the windmill, Y Felin Wynt. This provided the flour for the bakery, which they then established in a new High Street premises known as ‘City Bakery’. This was next door to their other retail premises the ‘City Stores’. In 1906 however, the sails blew off the windmill in a storm. The family took the decision not re-instate the sails but, seeing tourism taking off, redeveloped the property into the ‘Twr Y Felin Hotel’. This impressive building dominates the skyline of St.Davids from the western approach and stands today relatively unchanged to that which it was built in.
The family went on to expand the portfolio, becoming the property entrepreneurs of the city. At the turn of the 20th Century David Evans and his children were possibly the largest property owners and developers in St. Davids. Whilst their main stock was in residential housing, they also bought and ran many of the major guest houses and shops. Several of the farms immediately surrounding Whitesands Bay were acquired as well as the City’s nine hole Golf Course and St.Davids Head.
Latter generations have strived to maintain this legacy and build upon it. We hope to do the same hence the creation of James Properties.