The Skirrid Inn - The oldest and most haunted pub in Wales š“ó §ó ¢ó ·ó ¬ó ³ó æ
- llracnodbeauthor
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
In a small village called LlanvihangelĀ Crucorney, not far from Abergavenny Castle, there is a pub (public house) that is reputed to be the oldest, and most haunted, pub in Wales.
The Skirrid Inn is a Grade II listed building that dates back to 1100. The studded oak front door has been carbon dated and the wood is believed to be 1500 years old.
The Skirrid Inn has views of the Skirrid Mountain or Holy Mountain, which is situated below the Black Mountains and the Breacon Beacons (which is famous for being the mountain ranges that the SAS selection endurance phase takes place, known as āThe Long Dragā). The Skirrid mountain is actually split in twoāSkirrid Fawr (Great Skirrid) and Little SkirridĀ (Skirrid Fach)āand thereās a mythical reason for the splitting of the mountain as well as its geographical one.
Some say glacial movements caused the mountain to split whilst others believe that when Jesus Christ died on the cross, a thunderbolt came down and struck the mountain, splitting it in two, hence it being referred to as the Holy Mountain.
12th Century Wales, was a time when Welsh princes like Gruffudd ap Cynan (Gwynedd) and Cadwgan ap Bleddyn (Powys)āpart of the Welsh resistanceālead revolts against the Norman lords who invaded Wales and built numerous castles to protect themselves from the Welsh.
For example, in the year 1114, King Henry I of England invaded Gwynedd, obliging Gruffudd ap Cynan to pay homage to him. But the Welsh were no pushovers; the English came up against fierce resistance from the Welsh and many lives were lost on both sides.
Internal feuds and rebellions were also rife as the Welsh princes fought each other for power amidst the onslaught of the Normans and, whilst these power struggles were going on, the commoners, poor and starving, fought just to provide enough meagre food to keep their families alive. A desperate fight that inevitably led some people to steal livestock just to feed their children.
Now, what does this have to do with a centuries old pub called The Skirrid Inn, you might ask. Well, aside from being an alehouse, the Inn was also used as a public meeting house and courts between the years 1100 and 1485. And it is believed that the first floor housed the Judgeās retiring room, and the stairs back to the ground floor is where the Judgeās decisions often led to the end of the accusedās life.
For this is where the hangmanās noose was attached to the stairwellās beam. The drop from this short height, in most cases, was not far enough to render the condemnedās neck broken, so they invariably choked to death, wriggling and squirming in a futile attempt to gain footing somewhere, anywhere, to be able to take the strain off their necks.
And that is why the oldest pub in Wales is also reputed to be the most haunted. One hundred and eighty poor souls lost their lives by hanging between the 12th and 17th Centuries. One of the judges who held court at the Skirrid Inn was George āHanging Judgeā Jeffreys and you can read more about him at https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/george-hanging-judge-jeffreys/
What was the most common heinous crime that resulted in the death sentence? Murder? Attempted murder? Rape?
No. Sheep stealing.
Poor, starved, and desperate, the last thing a loving father did for his family was to steal a sheep to feed them, getting caught in the process, and ultimately losing his life. As such, the first, and the last, person to be hung at The Skirrid Inn was a sheep stealer. Just a simple soul trying to feed his family.
The hangmanās noose (not the original) still hangs from the original stairwell beam, today, as a stark reminder of the buildingās history. Iāve visited this pub many times and I can tell you that the beer, food, and service are all amazing, however, when you sit within those walls, you really feel its history pressing down on you, as if those that died there want to be heard. Legend has it that previous proprietors feared what evil these executions might encourage from the other side, and they would leave a beer in The Devil's Cup--the silver, two-handled tankard above the fireplace--for the Evil One, so that, if he did come, he would drink it and leave them in peace.
Itās for that reason that there are regular ghost tours hosted at the Inn and, if you are really brave, you can even book a room there and stay a night or two. But be warned, staff have seen ghosts and ghostly happenings many, many timesāpeople appearing out of nowhere dressed in period clothing, objects moving or disappearing, and noises that, well, donāt appear to have a source.
Are you brave enough to sleep at the Skirrid Inn?
Further Reading
You can find out more about the Skirrid Inn at these sites:
And, if you would like to book a ghost hunt at the Skirrid Inn, then browse to this site ā¦
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