Aberconwy House

2467 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

4/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

2014

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

Husband

Reasons for trip

This is the oldest house in Conwy dating from the C14th and one of the few surviving medieval merchant houses in Britain. It has a stone base with a jettied timber frame upper floor. The timbers used to be painted black, but have now been painted white. It was in a strategically important position at the junction of the two main streets in Conwy; Castle Street and High Street and close to the gateway through the walls to the quay. The owner must have been an important merchant connected with the shipping trade.

Nothing is known about the early owners. By the C19th, railways were taking over from the shipping trade. Aberconwy House became a coffee house and temperance hotel with a bakery on the ground floor. Later it became an museum and antique shop. It eventually passed into the care of the National Trust following a threat to dismantle and re-erect in the United States.

The house has been carefully restored. The ground floor is now a National Trust shop. The upper floors are furnished, with much of the furnishings on loan from the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans.

External stairs which were added later, lead to the first floor, with kitchen and dining room. These rooms have been restored as they might have looked in the late 18th/early 19th centuries when the building was still a merchant’s house. The 1797 oak Welsh dresser in the living room is unusual as it has a clock in it. The top two drawers are false as the weights come down here. Displayed on the shelves are blue and white plates. By the window is a drop leaf table set for tea.

The kitchen has a large open fireplace with a high backed wooden settle by it. Hanging from the ceiling is a bread cage. On the wall is a brass warming pan.

Modern stairs lead to what is described as the Great Loft with a massive wood beam ceiling and wattle and daub partitions. The small fireplace was a later addition. The first room is furnished as it might have been in the mid C17th at the time of the Civil War. The table has bench seating and is laid with pewter plates and horn beakers. Round the walls are wooden cupboards and chests.

Beyond is a small bedroom furnished as it might have looked around 1890 when William and Jane Jones ran a Temperance Hotel here. The temperance movement had close link with the non-conformist chapels and the hotels had a reputation for cleanliness, wholesomeness and simplicity. It is furnished with a brass bed, peg rug, wash stand and towel rail.

The furthest room is now a video room with a short video about the history of the house. It would originally have been used as a storage space.

There isn’t a lot to see in the house. Allow time to talk to the custodian who is very knowledgeable and brings the house to life. The entry ticket is £4 but that also includes entry to the Suspension Bridge and Toll House. There are no reductions for seniors.

There are steps down into the NT shop. The website states that there is accessible access to the first floor via the internal stair, but I didn’t check this out.

Visit website

Silver Travel Advisor

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.