The Ship Inn

There has been an inn on this site since at least the late 18th century, although parts of the present building date from the 16th century.

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The earliest known documentary reference is from 1777, when Catherine Salusbury, a widow, was recorded as the innholder of The Ship. Quarter Sessions records show that she was licensed to keep the inn, with Hugh Jones and George Wych of Conwy acting as her sureties.

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By 1795, the licensee was Jane Williams, who continued to hold the licence until at least September 1798. A Quarter Sessions recognizance dated 3 September 1798 licensed Jane Williams of The Ship, Conwy, to keep a common inn and alehouse in good order for one year.

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By 1800, Luke Roberts had taken over the inn.

The succession of Catherine Salusbury and Jane Williams illustrates how common female licensees were in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Widows and other women frequently continued to operate inns and alehouses, often holding licences in their own right.