The Skirrid Mountain Inn

The Skirrid Mountain Inn
Location within Monmouthshire
General information
Location Llanfihangel Crucorney, Monmouthshire, Wales, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°52′49″N 2°58′50″W / 51.88028°N 2.98056°W / 51.88028; -2.98056

The Skirrid Mountain Inn is a public house in the small village of Llanfihangel Crucorney, just a few miles north of Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is claimed to be the oldest pub in Wales and there are many popular legends about its history.[1] Owain Glyndŵr is said to have rallied his forces in the cobbled courtyard before raiding nearby settlements sympathetic to the English king, Henry IV. The first floor of the inn was reputedly used as a Courtroom where criminals were tried and hanged.[1]

Claims to fame

The Skirrid Mountain Inn claims to be one of the oldest pubs in Wales and is said to have a history dating back over 900 years.[2] In the ebook, Eerie Britain, author MB Forde points out that the Inn’s claim of dating back to around the year 1110 is exaggerated.[3] Citing work undertaken by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust, the Inn is mainly a mid-late 17th century building in construction.[4] Forde presents the theory that an inn had stood on the site previously due to it being situated upon a pilgrim trail that led to Llanthony Priory, although there is no evidence to verify this.

A popular legend is that the inn was used as a rallying point for local supporters of the Welsh Revolt against the rule of Henry IV, the uprising being led by Owain Glyndŵr. He is said to have personally rallied his troops in the cobbled courtyard before raiding nearby settlements sympathetic to the English in the 15th-century. However given that the inn wasn't built until the 17th-century this story should be taken with a pinch of salt.

Another claim to fame is that the first floor of the inn was reputedly used as a Court of Law where capital punishment was imposed for certain offences, including sheep stealing. Legend has it that as many as 180 criminals were adjudged guilty of crimes serious enough to warrant the sentence of death by hanging, a sentence that was allegedly carried out at the inn itself, from an oak beam over the well of the staircase. Markings, said to be from rope marks, still exist on the staircase wood.[1]

The inn has a reputation for being haunted by several ghosts or spirits and has been said to be the scene of numerous supernatural occurrences or paranormal activities. The inn was featured on TV's Extreme Ghost Stories and Most Haunted with Yvette Fielding,[5] and is regularly attended by paranormal investigators. Some believe it to be one of the most haunted pubs in Britain.[6] A popular belief has arisen that the infamous Judge Jeffreys heard cases at the inn, possibly as the result of comments made by Derek Acorah, a former star of "Most Haunted", while filming was taking place at the inn. There is no readily available documentary evidence to show that Jeffreys ever sat in judgement at the inn, however, during his career he did deal with cases in the area from Chester to as far south as Montgomeryshire (now part of Powys) and within a few years then dealt with cases on the Western Circuit including the county of Somerset. Both territories being within relatively close proximity to Monmouthshire, it is possible that on his travels he may have stopped at the inn or may even have heard isolated cases at the inn if conditions so dictated.

Attractions

The inn looks out onto the Skirrid Mountain to the east and the Black Mountains, Wales to the west, part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The valley of the River Usk, River Wye and River Monnow all pass close by. Offa's Dyke Path runs close by also.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Skirrid Mountain Inn". SkirridMountainInn.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  2. ↑ "'Haunted hanging' pub on sale". BBC News. 2002-10-31. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
  3. ↑ Eerie Britain: The Skirrid Mountain Inn. Eerie Britain. 2012-10-28. Retrieved 2009-08-29.
  4. ↑ "Listing of the Skirrid Inn". www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "List of Most Haunted episodes". http://www.tributemosthaunted.co.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2016. External link in |website= (help)
  6. ↑ http://www.eerie-evenings.com/Skirrid-Inn-Ghost-Hunt.htm
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Coordinates: 51°52′49″N 2°58′51″W / 51.8804°N 2.9807°W / 51.8804; -2.9807

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