Former Crown Inn, 18 High Street, Conwy
This building was formerly known as the Crown Inn, Crown Vaults or Crown Tavern. It was one of many public houses in Conwy when coach passengers, horses and drivers took much-needed breaks in the town during long-distance journeys.
The street leading down to High Street between this building and Plas Mawr is named Crown Lane, implying a connection with the name of the pub. In the 16th century this lane was called Juglers Lane. Another spelling for it was Jongleurs Lane (jongleur is French for juggler).
The corner of the Crown Inn is on right in the painting, shown here courtesy of Conwy Town Council. To ensure that all of the side of Plas Mawr (on the far side of Crown Lane) was visible in his picture, the Victorian artist greatly exaggerated the width of Crown Lane! The Crown Inn is also visible in the drawing on our page about the Old Mansion House (on the left in the painting here).
The Crown Inn’s licensee in the late 18th or early 19th century was probably a John Jones. His memorial inscription, in St Mary’s Church, Conwy, names the Crown Inn and says he died in 1837, aged 82.
The Crown Inn closed temporarily in March 1908 after the death of the publican, Miss Jane Davies. The pub lost its licence in 1909. Magistrates declared it had facilities for drinking only, with no overnight accommodation. The owners were eventually granted £400 compensation for the loss of licence.
There was a well, about eight metres in depth, off Crown Lane. In June 1879, Peter Wrench, aged five, was playing on the trap door which covered the well when the woodwork gave way and he fell into the water. He sank twice, and was rescued – with much difficulty – by policeman John Pritchard when he surfaced the second time.
In 1925, the Crown Inn building became the Conwy branch of Barclays Bank. In 1995, a butcher’s shop was opened here by Ieuan Edwards, a 20-year-old farmer's son from the Conwy Valley. He had completed courses in Switzerland and the Netherlands and served his apprenticeship in Llanrwst. The business now employs more than 30 people and has won countless awards for its sausages and other meat products.
With thanks to Ray Castle
Postcode: LL32 8DE View Location Map
FOOTNOTES: Previous occupants
1837 John Jones of the Crown Inn dies, aged 82
1844-51 Ann Jones named in documents as licensee of the Crown. She is aged 72 in 1851
1856-59 Hugh Jones is licensee
1861 Grace Jones is licensee, aged 39
1868 Grace Eccleston
1874 Robert Davies
1880-95 Elizabeth Davies
1899 J Davies
1901 and 1903 Directories name no licensee for the Crown Vaults
1910 Council permits building alterations
1911 David William Jones, plumber, occupies the building
1922 A directory lists the building as void
1925 Barclays Bank