Grade II listed pubs in Wales

Question

This piglix contains articles or sub-piglix about Grade II listed pubs in Wales

Answer 1

Albion Ale House

Albion Ale House

The Albion Ale House or The Albion is a Grade II listed public house in Conwy, North Wales. Built in 1921, it is a three-room pub with Art Nouveau decor that underwent major renovation in 2012. The Albion is jointly operated by four North Wales breweries and real ales from these breweries and other beers are served through eight hand pumps. The Albion Ale House was named the 2013 Wales Pub of the Year by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), and named one of the world's best bars by The Guardian.

The four breweries that co-run The Albion are Conwy Brewery of Llysfaen, Bragdy Nant of Llanrwst, Great Orme Brewery of Llandudno, and Purple Moose Brewery of Porthmadog.

The Albion was built in 1921 on the site of a previous pub. By mid-2010 the ale house was not profitable and had fallen into disrepair. It was sold by its owner, Punch Taverns, to Arthur Ellis, a local businessman. The Albion remained closed for a year while renovation work was carried out at a total cost of £100,000. Ellis arranged for the four local breweries to co-operate in running the pub on its reopening.

The Albion Ale House reopened in February 2012. The renovated pub received the English Heritage Conservation Award in the 2014 CAMRA Pub Design Awards. The interior of the Albion appears on the cover of the Britain's Best Real Heritage Pubs guide published by CAMRA.

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Answer 2

Bear Inn, Cowbridge

The Bear Inn, today known as The Bear Hotel, is an inn on Cowbridge High Street in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. The block stone building has a blue plaque on the front, marking its historical significance. It became a Grade II listed building on 12 May 1963.

The inn is dated to the medieval period, around the 12th century. It was once probably a three-unit, lateral chimney, hall-house, later converted into a storeyed house. It has undergone much alteration over the years, and little remains of the original except the fireplaces, one of which is in poor condition. The fireplace lintels of carved stone are notable. The hall fireplace has two shields, one bearing a reversed lion rampant and the other a trefoil. The hall contains heavy ceiling beams, dated to the late 16th century. The plastered ceiling in the inner room is dated to the early 18th century. On the first floor there are plain-chamfered ceiling beams and roof trusses, although this is obscured. In the 18th century the first floor was converted into an assembly room, and subsequently the High Sheriff for the county often met with noblemen of the county at the Bear Inn. The Glamorganshire Agricultural Society was established in 1772 at the inn. In this era, the inn served as a stopping point for those in need of changing horses, while other similar establishments, such as the Cowbridge Arms, Royal Oak, and Spread Eagle did not offer such a service. The northern side of the house once had wing attached to it during the medieval period but this no longer exists. In the early 19th century, Christopher Bradley was succeeded by Michael Glover as inn host. In the early 20th century, the county Court occasionally sat at the Bear Inn when it had such needs in Cowbridge. Immediately nearby is the Cowbridge Grammar School.

Coordinates: 51°27′44″N 3°27′0″W / 51.46222°N 3.45000°W / 51.46222; -3.45000

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Answer 3

Black Boy Inn

Coordinates: 53°08′29″N 4°16′34″W / 53.14142°N 4.27608°W / 53.14142; -4.27608

The Black Boy Inn (or just Black Boy) in the Royal Town of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, Wales is a hotel and public house which is thought to date back to 1522, making it one of the oldest surviving inns in North Wales. It is within the medieval walls of Caernarfon, a few hundred yards from Caernarfon Castle.

Prior to 1828, the pub was known as the 'Black Boy'. Though still referred to by its traditional name, it was officially altered to the 'King's Arms' and, later, the 'Fleur de Lys', until a change of ownership led to the restoration of the old name and the creation of the "Black Boy Inn" as it is today. The Inn signs each show a 'black buoy' on one side and a 'black boy' on the other.

The Inn's name has caused controversy and there are at least three theories to explain its name. One is believed to come from a 'black buoy' which existed in the harbour in the early days of the Inn. Another refers to the nickname given to Charles II by his mother because of the darkness of his skin and eyes, as well as the fact that Royalists met at the Inn secretly at that time. Later, the place became the local fishermen's favourite drinking place and the name of ‘black boy’ may come from this period.

In Caernarfon's heyday as a port-town, Northgate Street – on which the Black Boy Inn is situated – was the heart of the red-light district. Northgate Street's Welsh name Stryd Pedwar a Chwech translates to "Four [shillings] and Six [pence] Street": what the sailors are reputed to have paid for a room, a bottle of gin, and the services of a woman for the night.

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Answer 4

The Bush Inn

The Bush Inn is a Grade II listed public house in St Hilary, near Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. The current inn dates to the 16th century, and has a thatched roof, thick stone walls, low oak beams, flagstone floors, old pews, a stone spiral staircase, and an inglenook fireplace. The benches outside the pub look across to the Church of St. Hilary.

Iolo Morganwg was known to have visited the pub. The Rough Guide to Wales praised its food and "cosy" atmosphere. Egon Ronay's Lucas Guide in the late 1970s said "People come from Cardiff and Swansea to St Hilary for the sake of this stone-built thatched pub, which offers table skittles or darts in the tile-floored public bar."The Automobile Association named the Bush Inn "Welsh Pub of the Year 2008/9".

Coordinates: 51°27′7″N 3°25′8″W / 51.45194°N 3.41889°W / 51.45194; -3.41889

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Answer 5

Druid%27s Head Inn

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Answer 6

Golden Cross, Cardiff

The Golden Cross is a Grade II listed public house in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The current building dates from 1903 and is noted for its distinctive ceramic tiling.

A pub has existed on the site since 1849. It was renamed The Golden Cross in 1863. Around 1903/4 it was rebuilt in its current form (the tiles in the bar are dated 1903).

During the Second World War the fascist leader Oswald Mosley attempted to hold a meeting at the pub but violent opposition forced him to return to London.

The pub was threatened with demolition in 1979 but reprieved after a local newspaper campaign. It had been given listed status in 1975.

The Golden Cross has become a popular gay friendly pub, with regular drag acts and entertainment. It was voted in 2004 as the best gay pub in the UK.

Coordinates: 51°28′37″N 3°10′28″W / 51.47705°N 3.17444°W / 51.47705; -3.17444

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Answer 7

The Griffin, Monmouth

The Griffin, Monmouth

The Griffin is a public house in Whitecross Street, Monmouth, Wales. The building dates from the 18th Century and it has been grade II listed since 2005. Its name and sign refer to the legendary creature, the griffin.

In the 18th century the pub was called The Old Griffin. It was rebuilt in the 1830s and refurbished in the 1990s. The building is situated on the corner of Whitecross Street and St Mary's Street, which were both main thoroughfares for the town until the mid 18th century. The building's rounded entrance was designed to accommodate traffic turning on the tight corner. The Landlady of the pub was once Eleanor Jones. At the turn of the 19th century it was occupied by Charles Ballinger who also produced mineral water, enabling the pub to cater for more temperate drinkers.

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Answer 8

The Morning Star, Ruthin

The Morning Star, Ruthin

The Morning Star (or The Star Inn), Ruthin was listed as a Grade II building on 16 May 1978. It is directly opposite the Ruthin Gaol, and is claimed to be the oldest pub in Ruthin.

Early in 2010 a cache of old documents was discovered in the roof of the Morning Star. They were four very dirty, tightly screwed up bundles of papers giving detail on the business of an alehouse and on ordinary life in early Victorian Ruthin. They are about John Williams who was the last of five family members to hold the licence for the Star in the early nineteenth century.

The Star was originally built in 1639, as a lobby-entrance building with integral rear wing.

The inn was known as the "North Pole" in 1756 with James Edwards bricklayer as the licensee; it became the "Star" in 1775 with Richard Percival, also a bricklayer, as the licensee. Finally it was renamed the Morning Star in 2010. An 1845 description mentions that the public areas were at the front of the building, with a bar and a parlour either side of the lobby entrance. Behind these was a kitchen and a brewhouse and pantry to the rear. A cellar lay below the public areas. Upstairs, there were four bedrooms, above which were lofts intended for the Star's servants.

In 1799 William Williams became the licensee of the Star and began a family connection which was to last for 46 years, through three generations and five licenses. In 1837 Robert's brother, John took over as the licensee and it is with him and his business that the newly found documents are mainly concerned. One of John Williams' bar account books has survived. He offered small lines of credit to his regular customers to tide them over while they waited for payment from their own customers. The bar book contains 52 names of regulars captured for posterity, and it is a sobering thought that these transactions represent the only surviving evidence of any activity by these individuals.

In the 1840s the Star was part of a large hospitality sector of 51 different establishments. On Clwyd Street alone, the Star competed with 9 other taverns and 2 retailers of beer.

Surviving black bills from the 18th century show that the Star offered breakfast, luncheon, dinner, supper, "sanviges" tea and coffee as well as "servants eating", which suggests an all-day food provision. Food would be served in the parlour, a comfortable room with tables and chairs and carpet.

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Answer 9

Oakeley Arms Hotel

The Oakeley Arms Hotel is a Grade II listed hotel near Maentwrog in North Wales. The original building dates back to the 17th century, and was once part of the nearby Tan-y-Bwlch Estate. Although its principal use has been as an inn, historically it has also been used as a post office, makeshift court house, polling station and police station.

The Oakeley Arms Hotel was originally known as the Tan y Bwlch Inn, because it belonged to the nearby Tan y Bwlch Estate. Some local records claim that the hotel was built on the original site of the estate’s manor house (now located ¼ mile west and called Plas Tan-y-Bwlch).

The inn was first built in the 1600s but was extended during the 1700s when it was owned by a local drover. In his 1778 book A Tour in Wales, it was described by writer and traveller Thomas Pennant as “a very neat small inn, for the reception of travellers who ought to think themselves much indebted to a nobleman, for the great improvement it received from his munificence ”.

Sometime during the early 1840s the inn was renamed as the Oakeley Arms, in honour of the family who owned the Tan-y-Bwlch estate. The Oakeley family were one of the richest families in the area, their wealth having come from the slate mines of nearby Blaenau Ffestiniog.

In 1910 the Oakeley Arms Hotel was auctioned off from the estate and was bought privately. It was given a Grade II listing in 1954 because of its historical importance “as a fine example of an estate-built inn (one of several associated with the major estates of north Wales) and strong architectural character consistent with this patronage, not least in the quality of the masonry”.

In the nineteenth century, the Oakeley Arms was given its own crest. It means “I’m cautious but I do not fear”.

Today, the hotel is privately owned and has recently undergone a programme of intense renovation and refurbishment.

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Answer 10

Punch House, Monmouth

Punch House, Monmouth

The Punch House is a public house and hotel located at Agincourt Square, Monmouth, Wales. The pub serves food and has live music every Friday evening.

The Punch House was originally a coaching inn called The Wine Vaults. Records show the pub was in existence in 1769. The pub was known as The Punch House from around 1832 but did not change to The Punch House officially until 1896. In 1822 the licensee was John Powell. While in the possession of the Powell family, the business also traded as a wines and spirits merchant. The pub that stands today was originally two pubs until the late 1990s. At that date the Punch House was extended to include The Bull public house which occupied the adjoining premises. The Bull itself was originally known as The Black Bull in the 1800s. The internal door which now unites the two lounges downstairs is said to be the door of Monmouth County Gaol.

The building has been a Grade II listed building since 15 August 1974. It has a stucco frontage with chamfered quoins and a half hipped Welsh slate roof. The elevation is continuous with that of the Bull Inn which has a slightly lower roofline.

The Punch House is one of the pubs in Agincourt Square who started using QRpedia codes as part of the MonmouthpediA project in March 2012. Currently the Punch House is one of the 250 pubs that are owned by Brains Brewery.

Punch House sign

Agincourt Square 1930's picture showing the Punch House at the centre

Punch house shown on the right of the Rolls Statue. The picture taken in 1910 also shows a plain wall where a window is now.

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