What happened
The stone inn at the foot of the Skirrid mountain, on an old pilgrim route to Llanthony Priory, prides itself on being the oldest pub in Wales. Local tradition holds that in the 15th century Owain Glyndŵr rallied his men in its courtyard before raiding the English. The darkest legend says that a court sat upstairs and sentenced as many as 180 people to death for sheep stealing and other crimes. The sentences were supposedly carried out on the spot – from an oak beam above the stairwell, which still bears what are said to be rope marks. The legend is sometimes linked to the “hanging judge” Jeffreys. Guests say they feel pressure on their throats on the stairs, as if a rope were tightening, hear footsteps and the rustle of a dress, and see glasses moving by themselves in the bar. The inn has featured on “Most Haunted” and “Extreme Ghost Stories,” and many guests come just to spend the night in the rooms above the courtroom.
Witnesses
The inn's owners, staff and guests; the crews of “Most Haunted” and “Extreme Ghost Stories.”
Explanations and hypotheses
Work by the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust concluded that the present building dates mainly from the mid-to-late 17th century; there is no evidence of an earlier inn on the site. Neither the Glyndŵr gathering nor the court and hangings are confirmed by any documents, and Judge Jeffreys held no trials here. The “rope marks” on the beam may have an entirely ordinary origin. The inn's haunted reputation rests almost entirely on these unverifiable stories.
Legend A story handed down through generations – it can be neither confirmed nor disproved.
Sources
- Cadw – The Skirrid Inn, with attached barn, Crucorney (listed building description, via British Listed Buildings)
- WalesOnline – In search of the oldest pub in Wales (2018)
More: Wikipedia (en)