The Lletty Hotel, Mostyn
This inn was previously known as Y Lletty Gonest (“the honest inn”). Its current name, The Lletty Hotel, is a tautology, since Lletty and Hotel mean the same thing.
The building dates back centuries. Written above the front door is the date 1699. Above it is a relief, carved from stone, of the head of a man who appears to be showing pain or alarm (picture right). Beside the head is a lamb. The depiction may have originally been displayed at a church.
Also written here is “Honest Man”. Legend has it that the hotel was built by an Englishman, possibly called Smith and from Worcester, who left the pub without debts. One version of the story says that he suddenly had to return to England before the pub was completed, but he left bags of money on a table inside to ensure none of the tradesmen were out of pocket.
One night in the early 18th century, customs officers stayed at the inn after confiscating smuggled wine. During the night they were overpowered by colliers, who disappeared with the loot, but it was noticed that some of these men were wearing rings and good quality linen. The customs men suspected that local gentry, who were part of the smuggling operation, had mingled in disguise among the colliers, but the attackers were never found.
It's thought that two tunnels for smuggling led from the inn, one leading to the Mostyn estate behind, the other to the shore. The entrance to the latter is behind a small door in the north-west corner and was discovered by chance one evening. Wood paneling and benches along the walls then obscured the doorway. A dog belonging to one of the drinkers disappeared beneath the bench and could not be found. Its owner crawled through and found the dog in the mouth of the tunnel.
Lletty Hotel landlord Peers Jones was praised in 1889 for his efforts to attract more visitors to the area. He leased the beach between Mostyn and Ffynnongroyw and provided bathing machines – wheeled huts for people to change clothes and take discreet dips in the sea. He also provided swingboats and other amusements for children.
There are tales of the pub being haunted. One landlady, Rebecca Talbot, reported feeling fingers being pressed into her back, while nobody was behind her.
Postcode: CH8 9HF View Location Map
Website of the Lletty Hotel (Facebook)