The Red Lion Inn

Also known as The Red Lyon Inn

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The Red Lion Inn stood on this site from at least 1752 until 1903, when the building became the offices of the solicitors J. W. Hughes & Co.

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The inn appears in local records as early as 23 April 1755, when a court examination described timber stolen from 'the landing of the Red Lyon Inn in Conway,' providing one of the earliest documentary references to the building.

During its years as an inn, it was a familiar part of Conwy life. In 1752, Anne Clutton, who lived at the Red Lion, was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's Church.

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Conwy's Most Remarkable Woman

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The building later became home to one of Wales's most remarkable legal pioneers.

In 1923, Agnes Twiston Hughes became the first woman in Wales to qualify as a solicitor. She joined her father's practice, J. W. Hughes & Co., and established herself as one of the most respected legal figures in North Wales.

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Agnes continued to break new ground when she became Conwy's first female Mayor in 1954–55.

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A passionate advocate for her community, she led the campaign to save Conwy Suspension Bridge from demolition after 1958. They were really going to pull the whole bridge down and sell it for scrap metal!

Thanks to her determination and public campaigning, Conwy's iconic suspension bridge remains one of Wales's most important engineering landmarks.

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ecause it lacked stabling and other facilities expected of an inn. He pointed out that Conwy had one licensed house for about every 165 residents, which he considered excessive.

Former Mayor Alderman Hugh Hughes agreed, saying that the town had far too many public houses and that only a few were really needed.

Edward Parry defended his application, explaining that members of his family slept at the tavern every night and that, although his son looked after the premises in the mornings, he himself took charge from 5.30 p.m. until closing time.

After hearing the evidence, the magistrates refused to renew the Railway Tavern's licence, while almost all the other licences considered that day were renewed.

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