History of the Inn

The Groes Inn was originally a small two-storey house of fifteenth century construction. As the Inn flourished in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was modernised and extended, being re-roofed in the eighteenth century. The interior contains some sixteenth or seventeenth century timbers and walls may be of sixteenth century origin. Over the centuries the Groes Inn has been used as a commercial inn for business and court transactions. It continued to be known as the “Commercial Inn” at Groesynyd in the nineteenth century when the Hon. Arthur Charles, fourth Duke of Wellington, grandson of the Iron Duke, witnessed the purchase of the Inn in 1889, an event commemorated by the Wellington Room upstairs at the present Groes Inn. 

The actual deeds signed by Wellington can be found at the top of the stairs.

At the turn of the twentieth century the house on the right, next to the Inn, was pulled down which gave further opportunity for expansion. A further road improvement with the widening of the road from Conwy through Tyn-y-groes (B5106) during the 1930’s gave the Groes its present location in the Welsh countryside and its historic setting.

It is now managed by the Humphreys family, and The Groes was recently named Britain’s Inn of the Year, and Wales’ National Dining Pub of the Year in the Good Pub Guide 2009.