VIEWERS of the recent Martin Clunes drama 'Out There' on ITV have noticed that alongside The Sugar Loaf, Llandovery town centre, and the village ofLlangattock, the Skirrid Inn has made a surprise appearance more than once.
The pub often referred to as the oldest in Wales makes its debut in a scene in episode one where Clunes’s character takes his son for a swift pint and gets a chance to once again shoot the breeze in a Welsh accent that has divided viewers.
Some have branded Clunes’s take on the accent “a massive insult” and others have just called it “cringey!’ Either way you slice and dice it, he’s having a go. And it was nice to see an iconic local boozer feature on prime-time TV.
Standing in the shadow of its namesake, the Skirrid Inn in Llanfihangel Crucorney has been quenching the thirst of eager punters for many a moon.
It is over 900 years old and it boasts an old-world authenticity and history in every dark nook and cranny. It also contains rope marks from the numerous public executions that used to take place there.
Back in the days when justice came in the form of a rope, the Inn was used as both a courtroom and place of execution.
The notorious ‘Bloody’ Judge Jefferies would preside over proceedings and condemn prisoners to the hangman’s noose for such petty crimes as sheep rustling.
A curious soul can still observe the rope marks on the oak beam above the pub’s staircase where more than 180 poor felons danced the hangman’s jig before they shuffled off this mortal coil.
Local legend has it that some of the hanging judge’s victims are still rumored to stalk the Skirrid Inn in search of retribution for their unjust punishment.
As for ‘Bloody’ Judge Jefferies, it’s said he too still roams the inn’s upper floors looking to assuage his terrible appetite by condemning even more souls to swing until their hearts are stilled and their eyes are unseeing.
On a brighter note, although it’s said to be something of a goldmine of paranormal activity, not all of the spirits who ply their trade at the Skirrid are malevolent.
Fanny Price, for example, is said to be a friendly sort.
Old Fanny used to serve pints at the Skirrid back in the 18th Century but she sadly died of consumption aged 35. She is said to be still lurking within the confines of the Skirrid Inn alongside Father Henry Vaughn and a strange perfumed apparition called the White Lady.
As well as being soaked in superstition the Skirrid is shrouded with layers of colorful historical fact.
During the Welsh revolt against the rule of Henry IV of England, Owain Glyndŵr was set to rally his troops outside of the Inn before leading them on a raid of nearby settlements that were sympathetic to the English.
Wounded and dying soldiers fighting under Glyndŵr’s flag were also said to have found sanctuary at the Skirrid.
If you visit the Inn you’ll be in grand company. The Great Bard William Shakespeare apparently once supped a tankard of something refreshing here, and a whole host of Kings from all over England and Wales were said to use the ancient mounting stone in the forecourt as they dismounted their steeds in search of a little liquid refreshment.
We can now add Martin Clunes to that long list of notables who drank a pint at the inn. Can’t we boyo!
