35 40 15 22 min min min min 12 Conwy’s Mussel Fishing 9 Black Lion Inn Industry On the opposite side of the road, a little to the right, is the former Black Lion The white building near the far end of the quay is the Conwy Inn which features the date 1589. 50 min mussel purification facility. This is probably the date it was bought 60 70 80 There has been a mussel industry here since Roman times and and enlarged by a wealthy local vicar min Conwymin Townmin Trail today Conwy mussels are justly famous. Sir Richard Wynn called John Brickdall. supposedly gave a Conwy pearl to Charles II’s Queen, which It actually dates to the middle is still in the Crown Jewels. In Victorian times paddle steamers of the 15th century and became sailed from Conwy up the river to Trefriw, where tourists took the an inn in the 18th century. The 50 spa waters. The steamers ended with the outbreak of the Second jackdaws on the gables are min World War and the river is now too silted, although you can still recent additions that refer to the 0 15 15 15 enjoy a trip on a motor boat as far as Tal-y-Cafn bridge. traditional name for people born min min min min within Conwy’s walls. Walk past the lifeboat station towards the mussel sculpture and anchor. Return to the cross road and From here you have a good view of the cob (the thin strip of land turn right to go through the between Conwy’s bridges) built by Telford for his bridge. second main gate of the old town – Lower Gate – (Porth Turn back to leave the quay by the Harbour Master’s Isaf) and onto the quay. Office and through the Postern Gate. BLACK LION INN BRITain’s smallesT HOUSE © Crown copyright (2016) Visit Wales copyright © Crown 11 10 Lower Gate and Quay Britain’s Smallest House lanCaster square CirCa 1915 Griffiths, Stoke-on-Trent © Mr Gareth On your left is Britain’s Smallest House. The Liverpool Arms is built through the old town walls, with the back door inside the town and the front door facing the quay. Measuring just 180cm x 300cm (72” x 122”) it came Take this 80-minute tour of Conwy to see some of the most This caused the licensing authorities and police many problems, into being when houses were built along the walls interesting features of the walled town and UNESCO World as drunks could easily escape arrest by fleeing through one or the from either end. They didn’t quite meet up and the Heritage Site. other! The inn was named by Captain John Jones, its former gap was filled with a tiny house. landlord who ran a packet ship between Liverpool and Conwy in Discover the town’s fascinating history, from early medieval ANCHOR MEMORIAL It was lived in until 1900 when the last occupant was a 6ft the first half of the 19th century. It is said to be haunted and that beginnings to the present day. MUSSEL SCULPTURE fisherman. Pretty fishermen’s cottages line the quayside up to the smell of vanilla means someone is about to die! In places you will find HistoryPoints QR codes on little plaques © Conwy County Borough Council Borough County © Conwy the town walls. Number twelve used to be The Royal Oak Inn. The The quay was built by William Provis, Thomas Telford’s or window stickers. Use a QR scanner (freely available online) on foreshore here was defended by a long-vanished tower where the engineer, and replaced the old quay on the Gyffin river. your smartphone or tablet to find more detailed information or 35 40 town walls reach the water. visit www.historypoints.org 15 22 min min Walk past the Liverpool Arms and continue min min If you have time, walk through the In places you will find information boards can be found nearby. archway, up the short hill and through along Lower Gate Street. If you are short on time and want to stick to the 80-minute tour, the gates of Bodlondeb, a former mansion you can follow the times on the stopwatch beside the text. (now council offices) surrounded by parkland and woodland - a nice place 35 40 for a stroll or picnic (5 minutes’ walk). min min Further Links 50 15 22 min Alternatively, you can walk beside the min min a Download a free audio tour about Conwy’s Town Walls 60 70 80 shore to the new marina (20 minutes’ at http://www.snowdoniaheritage.info/en/location/146/ min min min walk), built after the tunnel sections TOWER REMAINS aberconwy-abbey/ for the A55 bypass were cast there. The a Visit iTunes to download Cadw’s Conwy app. Mulberry harbours, used in the D-Day landings, were prototyped in that vicinity.50 50 min min Continue the town trail by walking along 60 70 80 min min the quay towards the castle. min 0 15 15 15 min min min min © Courtesy of Conwy Archive Service Archive Conwy of © Courtesy LOWER GATE (PORTH ISAF) AND LIVERPOOL ARMS Mussel purifiCation proCess on Conwy estuary CirCa 1924 50 min 0 15 15 15 Getting to Conwy Town min min min 13 Harbourmin Master’s Office By car During the 19th Century Conwy was a busy port for shipping From Llandudno - Follow the A546 (Gloddaeth Avenue) to West slate, salt and timber on which duties had to be paid, and the 19th Shore, at the roundabout turn left and follow the road past the golf century Harbour Master’s Office before you was once the Customs courses and through the village of Deganwy until you reach the large Office. roundabout. Turn right to drive over the bridge. Increasingly, Conwy’s main activity became fishing and more From the East (Colwyn Bay) Follow the A55 to junction 18, take the recently pleasure boats. The Tower Coffee House is inside Conwy Town Trail A546 exit to Conwy, pass Tesco to the next large roundabout and the postern gate tower. Unlike the other gates, the postern was turn left to drive over the Conwy Bridge. a narrow, simple gate, potentially useful to attack the flank of an From the West (Bangor) Follow the A55 to junction 17, follow the enemy trying to enter through Porth Isaf. A547 (Bangor Road) until you reach Conwy town walls, turn left and Turn left and cross the road at the pedestrian crossing, then follow the one way system and map for parking. turn left to see the three bridges across the River Conwy.35 40 From the South (Betws y Coed) Follow the A470 to Glan Conwy, join 15 22 min min the A55 then follow directions from the East above. min min ConstruCtion of railway bridge - 1848 Service Archive Conwy of © Courtesy The postcode for the main LONG STAY car park in Conwy (Morfa Bach) is LL32 8FZ. There is an easy access walk from the car park into Conwy Town 14 which will bring you to Mill Gate (Porth y Felin). See trail map. Three Bridges By rail - Conwy has its own station, on the North Wales main line, The oldest bridge is Thomas Telford’s Suspension Bridge, built in which is central to the town and close to where the town trail starts. 1822-26. It was needed to improve links between London and 50 min By bus - The main route is the 5/X5 which runs frequently between Ireland, which had become part of Great Britain by the Act of Union 60 70 80 min min min Llandudno, Conwy, Bangor and Caernarfon. For time tables and stops in 1801. The main route was from Chester and involved a dangerous visit www.traveline.cymru ferry across the river Conwy. Telford built his bridge to fit in with the castle: the towers are smaller versions of the castle towers and the By bike - Follow National Cycle Network Route 5 to Conwy. toll house, at the far end of the bridge, is a miniature baronial castle. 50 Robert Stephenson’s unique railway bridge was built in 1846-48. It min consists of two giant iron tubes with spans of 400 feet. The London to THE GREAT Holyhead express, and other trains, still travel inside the tubes. 0 15 15 15 ORME LLANDUDNO HARBOUR MASminTer’s offiCE min min min A546 A third new road bridge was built in 1958. It was discussed for years with various plans proposed, including the suggestion to demolish PENRHYN BAY Telford’s bridge! The bridge did little to solve Conwy’s tremendous A546 RHOS ON SEA traffic jam problems and so a town bypass, the A55 tunnel under the COLWYN estuary, was opened in 1989. It was Britain’s first immersed tube 20 BAY DEGANWY A470 tunnel, built in sections onshore and lowered into position on the 21 A546 LLANDUDNO A55 MOCHDRE estuary bed. 17 A547 A55 JUNCTION A547 B5113 16 A547 CONWY RD From the bridges, turn back towards the town 18 CONWY 19 TOWER COFFEE HOUSE RSPB past the Guildhall, an example of Victorian DWYGYFYLCHI B5381 RIVER Gothic architecture, on the corner, and return CONWY B5106 GLAN CONWY to the Tourist Information Centre and the car LLANRWST RD B5381 park to complete the town trail. HENRYD 35 40 A470 B5113 15 22 min min min min For more information about the heritage of Conwy and how to plan your visit 50 throughout Snowdonia visit www.snowdoniaheritage.info min This leaflet was produced by Aberconwy Historical Society and Conwy 60 70 80 min min County Borough Council with support from Visit Wales.