Telford Inn, Trevor

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This building was probably erected in the late 18th century as a house for Matthew Davidson, the supervisor of the construction of Pontcysyllte aqueduct and the adjoining lengths of canal. Rooms were set aside for the Scottish engineer Thomas Telford whenever he visited the works. He was overseer of works on the Ellesmere Canal project. Notice the title Scotch Hall above the doorway. This is said to be Telford’s choice of name, but Davidson was also a Scot.

Telford later tasked Davidson with building the difficult northern entrance, near Inverness, of the Caledonian Canal, which crosses the Scottish Highlands. Many of the Welsh stonemasons who had created the tall pillars of Pontcysyllte went with him. While working there, Davidson often recalled wistfully the view he had enjoyed from Scotch Hall as the aqueduct took shape.

The road behind the pub crosses the Trevor basin on Scotch Hall Bridge. The original section, in the centre, was one of the first in the world to use iron arches to span a canal. The arches either side were added later, as the basin became busier.

There have been tales of hauntings at the Telford Inn. Staff say they sometimes see the ghost of a black and white collie-type dog in the function room, and a spectral lady dressed in Victorian clothing frequents the restaurant.

Postcode: LL20 7TT View Location Map

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