4914

 

II  

Designated  

19/10/1951  

13/12/2001  

White Lion Royal Hotel, Including Former Stable Range and Associated Wall Adjoining to the Rear  

 

Gwynedd  

Bala  

 

 

292576  

335989  

NW  

Prominently sited opposite the Town Hall.  

Commercial  

 

Historic coaching inn. Originally a five-bay two-and-a-half storey building of c.1700, the inn was extended in 1759 and again c.1800. At the end of the C19 the whole was raised by one storey and faux timber-framing was applied; at the same time small-pane sashes were replaced with the present 4-pane windows. George Borrow records his enjoyable stay at the inn (and his astonishing breakfast) in his `Wild Wales.' In addition, Queen Victoria stayed here during her progress of North Wales, giving the `Royal' to its name.  

Large inn of irregular plan, principally of three storeys plus dormer floor; of whitened brick and rubble with applied decorative timber framing to the added upper floors; slate roofs with simple moulded bargeboards and a Victorian brick chimney to the R. The 6-bay primary range is set back from the street-line and has plain 4-pane sashes to the upper floors; between the first and second is an applied stone cartouche with the date 1759 and the initials WRM. Advanced to the L at right-angles is an L-shaped mid C18 range, each arm of which has 3 windows at 1st floor. This has sashes as before, and two wooden canted bay windows to the ground floor facing the High Street. The right hand bay of this section has a large gable to the attic floor with deep verges; 4-light transmullioned oriel within, with applied quatrefoil decoration below. Advanced to the R of the primary block is a 2-storey late Georgian addition with shallow bowed front and hipped roof. This has tripartite sash windows to both floors, with 12-pane unhorned central sashes flanked by similar 8-pane sections; the ground-floor window has a segmental head. Between this projection and the L-shaped addition to the L is a single-storey glazed and slated early C20 infill section advanced in front of the primary block; central gabled porch to this. Hipped dormers with cross windows to the attic floors, with a large gabled dormer to the centre of the primary block; this has paired cross windows and a surmounting weathervane. Plain white stuccoed rear elevation with 4-pane segmentally-headed sashes. A low storeyed, gabled Victorian service addition advances to the R, and a contemporary, though taller block is similarly advanced to the L; these are linked by a modern flat-roofed, single-storey infill block. Adjoining to the rear and following the lane which links High Street with Arenig Street, is the former stable block. This is a long one-and-a-half storey range of rubble construction with corrugated asbestos roof, and appears to belong to the primary period. This has a modern entrance to the lane-facing side, with 8-panel double doors to L, two blocked openings to the R and a 2-light window with exposed timber lintel. The loft floor has 2 vent slits and 2 boarded windows with pegged oak frames. The inner side has 3 later stable entrances with boarded doors, that to the R with a modern garage entrance to its L and a modern window to the R; further bocked openings. The northern corner of this block is canted where the gable faces Arenig Street. Adjoining this block to the SW, and running parallel with Arenig Street, is a 2m high rubble wall, probably of mid C18 origin, which partly encloses the inn's rear courtyard. It runs for approximately 10m before terminating.  

The right-hand bar on the ground floor retains its primary beamed ceiling of c.1700, with stopped-chamfered main beam and plain joists. Large inglenook fireplace with flat stopped-chamfered bressummer and modern shelf. The central staircase is essentially primary and of dog-leg type, extending to the second (originally attic) floor; a further flight, in similar style, leads to the upper floor and is a c.1900 addition. The staircase is of oak and has turned balusters and square newels with flat pyramidal cappings; moulded rail with C19 carving to the first flight; similar carving to the lower strings. On the first floor two 2-panel fielded doors survive and three pegged oak doorcases, all apparently primary. The remainder are of Victorian 4-panel type. Boarded cellar door with pegged frame and original iron strap hinges. To the L of the stairwell is a small panelled parlour, the oak panelling of which is c.1900.  

Listed as a famous coaching inn with c.1700 origins retaining C18 and late C19 external character in the centre of the town.