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Details of pub: Feathers Hotel, Aberaeron

Other names: Feathers Royal Hotel
Address/Location:
OS Grid Ref: SN4602662756
Opened: c.
Closed: 2018 Type: Pub
Summary: Formerly in Llanddewi Aberarth parish.
This was built over-looking the town 'square' in about 1815 and soon gained a high reputation. The owner, Charles Mitchell announced a house warming on 7th August, 1816 (The Cambrian [newspaper] 8.7.1815, 19.7.1816)

It was owned by the Llanerchaeron Estate until 1921 when it was purchased by the tenant, John Davies.
It became known as the Feathers Royal Hotel by 1866, probably because the Royal Mail coach stopped there. There is no evidence that any member of the British Royal Family stayed there.

Closed 2018 and sold to a property developer.

Notes: For list of Licensees / Landlords / Occupiers, see the end of this section
1815
Advert for 'newly built' Inn, Charles Mitchell. Charles Mitchell owner. see att.

1816
Aberaeron, small village, very comfortable Inn. The whole village has an appearance of great neatness and comfort.
Ayton, R., A voyage round Great Britain … (London, 1816), p. 140-141

1824
A most excellent dinner at the Feathers, a particularly neat & clean little inn, kept by a Scotsman married to an English woman. The horses in good condition & the drivers fine dashing young fellows both in the same coloured suits, buff waistcoats etc., in short everything at this little inn was in a superior style to what we had hitherto met with in Wales.
(Porter, Phoebe, Diary 1824, Worcestershire Record Office, BA 3940/68(i))

1824
We watered the horses at the new Inn Aberaeron, a very clean nice house where we got the best mutton chops & beef steaks, tart & rice pudding I ever tasted. The inn is about ½ a mile from the sea & a pier is built there not very long since.
Porter, Anne, Journal of a tour down the Wye & through South Wales, August 17th to September 25th 1824. Worcestershire Record Office, BA 3940 Parcel 65 (ii) 705: 262

1831
An adjourned meeting of the Quarter Sessions were held in the Feathers. This might have been the only time they did so because, from 1765 they normally met in town halls in Aberystwyth, Cardigan or Lampeter. After 1845, they always met in the new Town Hall, Aberaeron.

1833
an excellent posting-house and hotel, have been established, the latter affording to families an equal degree of comfort and privacy to any in the principality.
Lewis, S., (1833), Topographical Dictionary of Wales, Aberaeron

1836
Dined and slept at the Feathers a very small but tolerably good inn.
(Anon, Tour in Wales. 1836. NLW MSS 12392B.)

1841
Theft from the guests at the Inn. One of the thieves was caught and transported to Tasmania.
See also Mair Lloyd Evans and Mair Harrison, The Ins and Outs of the Inns of Aberayron, (2013), p. 4

1855 (27th September)
Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte's had dinner at the Feathers.
‘A stay of some hours was made at Aberaeron. The little inn was replete with comfort. An excellent pianoforte tempted the Prince to gratify his friends with some fine old German airs which were exquisitely played. The party afterwards proceeded to Lampeter.’
Prince Louis-Lucien Bonaparte's visit to Wales in the Autumn of last year. Cambrian Journal, vol 3, (1856), pp. 1-13.

1904
Marked as Hotel
(6 inch map, revised 1904, published 1906)

1905
Petty Sessions: Aberaeron; number on list: 4; name of premises: Feather's Hotel; Parish / Place: Aberaeron; Licensee: Davies, John; owner or tenant : tenant; registered owner : Mrs M A Lewis, Llanerchaeron; free or tied: Free; tied to: [blank]; type of licence: full; on or off licence: on; number of licenced days per week: 7. (1905 list)

1910
Davies, John; Feathers Royal family & commercial hotel & livery stables (Kelly’s Directory, 1910)

Licensees / Landlords / Occupiers
1830 Mitchel, Charles, (Pigot's directory, 1830)
1835 Mitchell, Charles, (Pigot's directory, 1835)
1836 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, 1836)
1837 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, 1837)
1838 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, 1838)
1840 Proctor, George, (Robson directory, 1840)
1842 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, NLW MS 13867, 61 31st August, 1842)
1843 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, NLW MS 13867, 120, 30th August, 1843)
1844 Proctor, George, (Pigot's Directory, 1844)
1845 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, NLW MS 13868, 244, 27th August, 1845)
1846 Proctor, George, (Petty Sessions, NLW MS 13868, p. 292a, 26th August, 1846)
1847
licensee: Proctor, George
Petty Sessions, Aberaeron, NLW 13868, 8.9.1847, p. 337
1848
licensee: Cummins, Thomas
Petty Sessions, Aberaeron, NLW 13868, 23.8.1848, p. 368
1849
licensee: Cummins, Thomas
Petty Sessions, Aberaeron, NLW 13868, 22.8.1849, p. 405
1849 Cummins, Thomas, (Hunt's Directory, 1849)
1850
licensee: Cummins, Thomas
Petty Sessions, Aberaeron, NLW 13868, 21.8.1850, p. 441
1850 Cummins, Thomas, (Slater's Directory, 1850)
1858 Harrison, Henry, (Slater’s Directory, 1858-1859)
1868 Selby, Richard, (Slater's Directory, 1868)
1875 Donague, Michael, (Worrall's Directory, 1875)

See also Mair Lloyd Evans and Mair Harrison, The Ins and Outs of the Inns of Aberayron, (2013), p. 3-6, 15, 16

Additional information

Pub sign:

Pub sign, 2006

Date: