A Pint of History Please

Exploring the History of Ceredigion's Pubs

Details of pub: Unicorn, Aberystwyth

Other names:
Address/Location: 16 Pier Street
OS Grid Ref: SN5819381675
Opened: before 1822      
Closed: NOT KNOWN       Type: Pub
Summary: It appears that the building was demolished in 1833 and was rebuilt, but not necessarily as the Unicorn.

The Unicorn is said to have been one of the public houses frequented by non-conformists.
OLD ABERYSTWYTH. PAPER BY MR DAVID SAMUEL, M.A.
On Thursday evening, March 19th, Mr David Samuel read a paper to the Junior Radical Club on "Local Nonconformist Vestry Taverns." The paper dealt with the history of the taverns especially patronised by each religious body during the first quarter of this century. The first of these vestry-taverns (as Mr Samuel called them) treated of was The Unicorn, situate where The Emporium now is in Pier Street. It was a low-built house with a straw-thatched roof. It was famous too as a billeting house of militiamen. It was kept by Mrs Elizabeth Williams, popularly known as Betty Dafydd William. She was a communicant at the Tabernacle and unmistakably a Christen woman. She used to visit Langeitho too with great regularity in the time of Daniel Rowland. At her house the old Tabernacle deacons had their sip of nut-brown ale, and in the back parlour discussed many a matter of chapel interest. Many of the old deacons visited the house after the morning sermon: but their allowance was limited to one glass of beer: one very respectable townsman was refused a second glass. The old Unicorn seems to have been pulled down about 1830-32.
The Aberystwith Observer, 2nd April 1896
N.B. The Emporium was at 16-18 Pier Street (advert)

Notes: 1816
Elizabeth Williams, widow, Unicorn, Pier Street
Aberystwyth Guide, 1816
1822
Elizabeth Williams, Unicorn, Pier Street (Pigot’s directory, 1822)
1830
licensee: Catherine Williams,
source: Pigot and Co, 1830
1831-1833
John Morris paid an annual rental of £20 to the Nanteos estate
Quit at Christmas, 1833, house taken down immediately.
(NLW Nanteos Rentals 1772-1854)
1834-1838
Two houses and premises, described as 'late Unicorn' were leased by the Nanteos Estate to John Cole and John Ellis at £10 each.
Nanteos Rental books, NLW, R65 and R68




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