The Groes Inn

Cadw's description

Location

Prominently sited immediately on the W side of the Llanrwst Road approximately 1.5km SE of Henryd village.

History

History: Established already as an inn in 1578 when the 'tavarne y Groes' is mentioned in a court order; mentioned also under this name June 1580. The present structure is largely late C17 although there may be a late C16 or early C17 core (evidenced by the large inglenook fireplace in the former hall with an ogee-stopped chamfer to its bressummer). Altered and extended variously during the C19 and C20.

Exterior

2-storey asymmetrical building of rendered rubble with hipped slate roofs; plain rendered chimneys. The central section is the earliest, and appears to have been a storied end chimney house of a type common to the region. This has a central entrance with modern door and C20 part-open porch. Flanking second-quarter or mid C19 12-pane sliding sashes with crown glass and including bullseye panes; modern window to far R. Two C19 plain sash windows under the eaves and, to the R, the date 1400 in painted, raised stucco, an inaccurate late C19 pseudo-historical addition. The L section is C20; boarded and studded door with multi-pane fixed window to the R. 12-pane steel-framed windows to the first floor. All windows have modern external wooden shutters. To the rear, a second-quarter/mid C19 wing to the N, forming an L with the earlier range; various further adjoining extensions, all C20.

Interior

Beamed ceiling to main ground-floor room with chamfered joists and beams with run-off stops; evidence of former lateral partition. Large inglenook fireplace with internal niches and later oven; ogee-stopped chamfered bressummer. Early C18 (?) pine stair with large, plain newels, sloped rail and pronounced flat, shaped balusters; this continues around the stairhead to form a balustraded gallery, though this is currently (September 1995) boxed-in. C19 red/black quarry-tiled floor to main hall. 3-bay pegged and chamfered collar truss roof to primary section.

Reason for designation

An early recorded inn in a prominent road-side location and retaining historic detail internally.