1699, What & where is that Steve?
Sorry I did it the easy way not really fair, so just put the date....
But as you asked........
The Letty Hotel, Mostyn
This inn was previously known as Y Letty Gonest (“the honest inn”). Its current name, The Letty Hotel, is a tautology, since Letty and Hotel mean the same thing.
photo_of_carved_headThe 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 origin and meaning of this carving are unknown.
Also written here is “The 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 stayed at the officers 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 disguis among the colliers, but the attackers were never found.
It is 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 panelling 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.
There are tales of the pub being haunted. Landlady Rebecca Talbot has felt fingers being pressed into her back, while nobody was behind her.
