The Serjeants Inn and Court House

Cadw's description

Location

Situated in the centre of Eglwyswrw village, on roadside.

History

Inn said to date from 1650 (1888 O.S. map), probably mid C18, extended in C19. Eglwyswrw was a staging-post for the lawyers of the Carmarthen circuit between Haverfordwest and Cardigan. Richard Fenton in 1810 noted that the lawyers had for many years stopped there after the tedious journey over the mountains, and there held a mock tribunal for their own entertainment. He does not mention sessions being held there though. The inn sign then was of a military sergeant, not a legal serjeant. Sessions do appear to have been held in the inn during the C19, before a court-house was built onto the inn in 1877, and the Cemaes Petty Sessions were held here until c1992.

Exterior

Whitewashed rubble stone with close-eaved slate roofs, and three rebuilt brick chimneys. Two-storey, five-window range, disposed as three-window to right and two-window to left, a chimney between sections. One-window lower addition at left end. Windows all boarded-over (1997), with stuccoed surrounds to first floor. Ground floor has continuous slate pent-roof, up to first floor sill level, not continued to extreme right end, where small stretch of drip-course is visible. Six timber brackets. Three ground floor canted bay windows one each side of door in right section 8-16-8-pane sashes, one to left of door in left section with 8-12-8-pane casements and centre fixed light. Corniced flat tops, slate sills and stone bases. Doors have plain stucco surrounds, main door has oak lintel over stable door with panels, left door is earlier C20 half-glazed. Added section to left has one window above, boarded over, and two casement-pair windows below.
Rear is outshut with large rear wing central to 3-window section. Wing has E side wall-face stack and altered windows on two floors. Single storey addition to N end of rear wing.
Attached to NE end of inn is former court-house of 1877, Cilgerran stone with slate roof. Door and large window to road. Ledged door and overlight with brick head, formerly with timber slated hood. Window formerly had a large canted bay projecting with small-paned glazing. Both hood and bay were demolished in a road accident 1996. Arched window in end wall, metal tracery possibly part of 1932 alterations. Lean-to addition to rear.

Interior

Interior not accessible 1997. In 1987 listing had chamfered cross beams in ground floor bar, chamfered lintels to fireplaces, panelled entrance hall, dog-leg staircase etc.

Reason for designation

A large well-preserved rural coaching inn of historical importance.