History
The Black Lion Hotel has been completely refurbished in recent years. Painstaking care has been taken to reveal, retain and enhance a period of architectural history around the early part of the 19th century.
Excavation of the floors revealed water-worn stone cobble paving 18 inches below the present floor level. Some of the stone walls are bound by just clay and straw. The huge fireplace has traces of an earlier wickerwork and mud-daubed fireplace hood called a mantell. The oak joists and beams of the bar and dining room belong to an earlier age when the dim-lit upper storey, commonly called a croglofft, was reached by ladder. The earlier roof was thatched or stone tiled. A number of oak-pegged stone tiles were found in the attic.
In c1900 the windows were enlarged in order to attract passengers of the railway stopping at Strata Florida station in order to view Abbey ruins. The small formal dining room has been decorated in a village interpretation of c.1900 modern. The bar and dining room recaptures the ambience of a 19th Century Welsh inn; enhanced by early photographs, pictures, domestic ware and farm implements.
Excavation of the floors revealed water-worn stone cobble paving 18 inches below the present floor level. Some of the stone walls are bound by just clay and straw. The huge fireplace has traces of an earlier wickerwork and mud-daubed fireplace hood called a mantell. The oak joists and beams of the bar and dining room belong to an earlier age when the dim-lit upper storey, commonly called a croglofft, was reached by ladder. The earlier roof was thatched or stone tiled. A number of oak-pegged stone tiles were found in the attic.
In c1900 the windows were enlarged in order to attract passengers of the railway stopping at Strata Florida station in order to view Abbey ruins. The small formal dining room has been decorated in a village interpretation of c.1900 modern. The bar and dining room recaptures the ambience of a 19th Century Welsh inn; enhanced by early photographs, pictures, domestic ware and farm implements.
Black Lion Hotel
One small wall has been clad with a recently discovered oak panel/partition, c.1650, found in pieces in a salvage yard in Silian, the owner of which related how he assisted in removing the panelling from the rubble of Tregyb Mansion Llandeilo, when it was demolished c.1970. The date of the panel relates to a period of rebuilding at Tregyb, when there was a relaxation of the Recusancy Acts, whereby Catholics had become impoverished by the regular heavy fines for non-attendance at the established church. In isolated Wales the Catholic squires of Tregyb had maintained their faith for over a century.
Attached to the rear of the inn is a large room, once a butchers shop then a sale room. The room, complete with original ceiling hooks, provides a useful conference/function facility.
Attached to the rear of the inn is a large room, once a butchers shop then a sale room. The room, complete with original ceiling hooks, provides a useful conference/function facility.
Black Lion Hotel, Mill Street, Pontrhydfendigaid, Ystrad Meurig, Ceredigion, Wales, SY25 6BE. Tel (+44) 01974 831624