Our story. . .
The early
years. . .
The earliest years of the building are mysterious however it is safe to assume The Llanerch in its earliest form, like many similar buildings from the time acted as a simple residence or farmstead adjoining a parish. In our case this would be the parish of Llandow, then Lando, before getting the more recognisable name Llandyddod.
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It isn't until the late1700's that we get proper documentation denoting the building as 'Llanerchdirrion' or 'gentle glade' in english when the building was passed down in a will. Nor was it until this time that the town of Llandrindod as we know it today began to form.
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A visit by a German Doctor (Dr D. W. Linden) in 1754 is what kicked off the transformation from rural backwater to booming Victorian Spa Town, for the good doctor discovered saline (salt-rich) and sulphuric spring waters (thanks to rich mineral deposits under the town). These waters seemed to cure the doctor's ailments, which caused him to write a scholarly treatise on the town's healing waters.
The area became significantly more accessible with the completion of the turnpike road from Newtown to Llandrindod, a trip today we can do in 45 minuets however by horse and cart it becomes a 5 hour affair. This route was ran by The Royal Dart which undertook the inaugural journey on June 2nd 1823, William Pugh is who we have to thank for a majority of our roads whose routes are mostly followed to this day by modern tarmac.
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We know that around 1840 the Llanerch opened its doors to the general public, with the turnpike complete and it being in full use the proprietor at the time advertise the Inn's 'lock-up stables (which still stand to the left of the pub.) and coaching house' capitalising on the new road. However, the previous landlords had private tenets the most notable of which being The Reverend Ioan Thomas (from 1775-79). An acclaimed welsh poet sadly forgotten outside of Wales, an event known as the 'outpouring at Garn' occurred in the neighbouring parish of Disserth (between here and Builth) where the holy spirit was said to have flowed out of the methodist preacher mid sermon.
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In the 1800's a stay with us would only cost you £1.15 for an entire week, or six schillings a day, thats roughly £180p/w or 25p/d today, but what about your servants? Well they could stay for £1.10 instead!
Pre Victorian boom. . .
The Gilded
Age. . .
In 1865 the completion of the Central Wales Railway Line not only replaced horse drawn transport but provided a more comfortable mass-transit to Llandrindod. Combine this with the parceling and sale of the land previously know as Llandrindod Common in 1869 the town was set to grow rapidly, most of the buildings within the town centre are remnants from this time.
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The owner of The Llanerch at this time boasted the hotel was 'within two minuets walk from the railway station'. This was a very good time to be a landlord in Llandrindod, within just a few years new hotels, apartments, promenades, treatment centres, two pavilions, a golf course, a putting range, bowling greens and a 14 acre lake where all constructed.
At the peak of the victorian era Llandrindod was seeing upto 80,000 visitors a year the majority of which came to bathe in the healing waters of the Rock Park. However like every victorian boom town, Llandrindod had a sub-culture of brothels and opium dens. It is said the gentlemen partook in the more unsavioury forms of entertainment while the gentlewomen enjoyed the spa, and quiet reflection in the beautiful nature fresh country air.
Modern Times. . .
in 1908 there where proposals to remove the 'somewhat out-of-date hotel with something more befitting of the times. However, questions where raised regarding both funding and the magistrates willingness to transfer the hotel license.
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Ten years later the owner at the time, Thomas Lewis got unfortunate news about his son, lance corporal Glenville Lewis who was serious ingured in combat, this was his second son to be injured in The Great War. The Thomas' ran the Llanerch until the mid 20th century, with then sons and daughters all working here.
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That brings us to today, our pervious owner bought the pub from the Thomas' in the late 1900's before selling it on to his most trusted employee and chef, the current owner still works in the kitchen shoulder to shoulder with his staff.
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We're proud of our history here, you will still find old photographs of the building and local area, horse brasses and paintings donning the wall. Not to mention the characterful beams, the odd low ceiling and the fact that nothing is T'd up or straight, we like to think the building has aged with grace.