Your History: “Mine’s a Pint”
As usual, September sees Local History Groups across Brecknock arranging events for the History Festival. This year’s theme is “Pubs and Inns” so there was plenty of information to research. A display at y Gaer has details of the activities being organised: a pop-up museum in Hay, a walk round the pubs of Llangynidr or displays in the pubs around Llangorse and Llanfihangel Talyllyn to list just a few.
A newspaper item from 1886 lists 28 licensed houses that were in Llanfaes in 1821 and there were plenty more around Brecon. While some hostelries were probably just a room in a private house, others were purpose- built properties. In fact, over the last 200 years, around 80 premises have hosted more than a hundred named inns, public houses, hotels or taverns; the name often changed when a new landlord or landlady took over the licence.
The Breconshire Local & Family History Society has just published a new book, “Mine’s a Pint”, which takes a brief look at these properties street by street including stories of robberies, auctions, intoxication, run-away pigs and illegal drinking.
The book is available from Visit Brecon in Lion Yard, Brecon.
Photograph shows Castle Street with Black Lion Hotel, (Rob Eckley Private Archive).
© Breconshire Local & Family History Society