One of my favourite buildings in Conwy is the
Black Lion (Y Llew Du), built in 1589 by John Brickdall,
Vicar of Conwy (1569-1607); his initials and those of his wife appear over the door together with the date 1589 (they were married on the 10th May 1589). Brickdall's father was the Constable of Conwy Castle at the time of construction and later died of the plague.
The building was turned into the
Black Lion Inn in the 1700s; a usage that continued for over 200 years (it was also the venue for the popular Monday morning Pig Market) until the 15th March 1935, when falling trade made it unviable. It then had a variety of uses, including tearooms and an antique bookshop, until it became empty in the 1990s when its condition deteriorated sharply due to dry rot. The exterior was renovated a few years back and it was then sold but no work appears to have been carried out since the sale - I believe the interior is just a shell. I just wish somebody would renovate it and bring it back into use- its a lovely old building, full of character, and in a prime spot on Castle Street.
A local artist, Jean Morgan Roberts, was born in the Black Lion and, in her book '
The Character of Conwy'*, she says "
I grew up in the wonderful old atmosphere of the house with its secret passages, a cellar reputed to have an escape tunnel that led to the quay, a well, stables, stone steps to the town walls, a tower, Elizabethan fireplaces and a beautiful walled garden." You can visit her website
here.
A local guidebook** states that the building has two ghosts; one being an elderly gentleman who often sits beside the large fireplace in what was once the pub's parlour (see interior photo below), smiling to himself and nodding benignly. A former proprietor stated that '
he's a nice old fellow and we've got used to him and take his appearances for granted'.
The other ghost is quite the opposite, described as being a '
tall person in a cloak', bringing with him a '
feeling of malevolence' as he haunts the upper floor of the building. A former employee stated that '
he's a real fierce character...he has rocked the bed, frightening many a sleeping person, striking terror in the dead of night". Fortunately, the second ghost is very rarely seen!
Black Lion Inn in 1935
Black Lion Antiques Shop & Tearooms in 1950s
Interior as Antique Shop & Tearooms in 1950s
Interior Plan (1939)
Rear of the Black Lion The Black Lion or Y Llew Du is a later C16 house built by John Brickdall, Vicar of Conwy (1569-1607); his initials and those of his wife appear over the door together with the date 1589. Later in use as Black Lion Inn. Two storeys. Slate roof with massive square central chimney and second chimney to right. Walls of stone, with front wall of whitewashed pebbledash cladding with stuccoed plinth. Ledged central door in heavy frame. Two two-storey flanking rectangular gabled bays. Sash windows with horns (RAJ 10/7/03; based on CADW listing description).Black Lion Inn - Landlords:Edward Williams (1850s)
* - '
The Character of Conwy' by Jean Morgan Roberts. Available to purchase from her shop at 14b Castle Street, Conwy.
** -
'The Ghosts of Conwy' by Margaret Williams. Available to purchase from the 'Smallest House' on the Quay in Conwy.
See the Black Lion on
Google Streetview
Penrhyn Road, Colwyn Bay
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