This small, 500-year-old, drovers' inn on the steep incline above Tal-y-Bont with splendid views over the Conwy Valley is a popular meeting place for walkers.
Bought by the J W Lees company in early 1962 and put up for auction in May 2018 but failed to reach reserve price and was closed until early October 2019 whilst the local community attempted to raise funds in order to purchase the premises. Now purchased and reopened by a former employee.
Historic Interest
CADW Grade 2 listed since October 1966 "as a village inn in a prominent position with good C19 external appearance and earlier core". The main bar features an inglenook fireplace and has a low-beamed ceiling (some of the beams supposedly come from the Spanish Armada) and a small copper-topped bar. The raised 300-year old extension with flagstones and bare floorboards serves as a dining room.
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: II
Few changes have occurred at this late 17th.century drovers' inn in the last 40 years. The oldest features are the partition to the right of the entrance with a bare bench attached and the massive stone fireplace taking up the whole of the right-hand wall in the flagstoned area beyond. The bar-back incorporates a large 'Patterson's Scotch Whisky' mirror - something quite common in Scottish bars, but rare in Welsh (and English) ones. The present counter, which dates from the 1960s, has a log frontage and copper top and is set back a few feet from the position of the original. A short passage and doors once led to both the right-hand side of the pub and into the left-hand side, which is on a higher level. The later removal of the doors makes the interior look similar in style to many pubs, but the actual amount of change is small. A small dining room at the rear has been brought into use.
The pub's position on a steep hillside offers splendid views over the Conwy valley from the car park and the pub is popular with bird watchers. Camping allowed in the paddock (up to five tents).
There have been few changes to this late 17th.century drovers' inn in the last 40 years. The oldest features are the partition to the right of the entrance with an unchanged bare bench attached and in the flagstone area beyond there is a massive stone fireplace taking up the whole of the right-hand wall. The unusual feature is the bar back which incorporates a large 'Patterson's Scotch Whisky' mirror - something quite common in Scottish bars, but rare in Welsh (and English) ones. The present bar counter, which dates from the 1960s, has a log frontage and copper top and is set back a few feet from the position of the original bar. Originally there was a short passage and doors to both the right-hand side of the pub and into the left-hand side, which is on a higher level. The removal of the doors make the interior look similar in style to many pubs, however, the amount of change is very little. A small dining room at the rear has been brought into use.
Situated on a steep wooden hillside, there are splendid views over the Conwy valley from the car park and the pub is popular with bird watchers. Camping allowed in the paddock (up to five tents).
Olde Bull Inn, Llanbedr-y-Cennin
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