Dovey Valley Hotel, Cemmaes Road

A railway hotel of c1865-70 located nearly opposite the now disused station. The Newtown to Machynlleth Railway reached Cemmaes Road in 1863, and was subsequently incorporated into the Cambrian Railway. Cambrian Railways then built a branch line from Dinas Mawddwy to Cemmaes Road which opened in 1867. It has a lovely exterior porch with coloured glass and benches either side. Hotel guests, many of whom would have arrived by train, would have entered by the central doorway, which will be back in use when Bed and Breakfast accommodation becomes available in 2014.

The hotel bar is barely altered since it was refitted in c.1913 and is a real step back in time. It is accessed from a door on the right-hand side of the building. Originally there was a small servery in the far left hand corner of the room where the floor is wooden and the stable door (the two halves are now joined together) with the figure ‘5’ on it was used to serve customers in the smoke room and there is still a tiny hatch in the hallway. The rest of the floor of the public bar is of Welsh slate and was recently revealed having previously been covered by concrete.

It would appear the present three-sided serving area with simple shelving, placed across the innermost corner was added in around 1913 – on the reverse of one of the framed posters on the wall there is a date of 9th Aug 1913. The servery has a counter screen with still-working vertical sashes, which were raised and lowered at opening and closing times. The old handpumps situated on the rear shelving were converted to serving keg beer in the 1960/70s. There is a red tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace likely to have been installed in around 1913 (log fire in winter) with an old 'Worthington's Burton Ales' mirror above. There are various items of drinks advertising from times past including an old illuminated ‘Watney’s Brown Ale’ sign which still works.

In the slate-floored passageway beyond the bar look up and you will see a pair of bells on springs which were rung by customers in two rooms using the bell pushes. There are plans to bring the bells back into use. The second, smaller, smoke room lies across the central corridor: it is in occasional use as an overflow from the main bar. It has a lovely old mirror advertising Salt’s Burton Ale and signed by the maker, J. Baird of far-away Glasgow. The doors of the smoke room has the number ‘4’, a survival from the dates when pubs had to have their rooms identified to meet the registration requirements of Customs and Excise authorities. The furniture is a real mixture with much of it suitable for a private living room. But this just serves as a reminder that that’s often exactly what public houses were – ordinary houses that doubled up as public places to enjoy a drink. There is a dining room / residents lounge on the front right of the hotel which has a figure ‘1’ on the door, a 1930s tiled fireplace and a bell push. A private room on the front left also has a 1930s tiled fireplace.

Outside gents' and ladies’ (or at least one WC and a separate urinal). There is a parlour next to the smoke room that will be converted into inside toilets. As another reminder of times past, note the remnants of the ancient petrol pump on the car park and the adjacent BP cover to access the supply tank. After a period of uncertainly following the death of long time owner Maurice Davies, it has recently been rescued by a son and mother partnership and is currently open each evening from 6pm with one Welsh real ale on sale . There are plans to offer food and accommodationin the future.