Plas Mawr
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Closed until Feb 28, 2024
Temporarily closedClosed until Feb 28, 2024
About
Plas Mawr, or the Great Hall, is quite simply the finest surviving Elizabethan town house anywhere in Britain. This was a golden age when fabulously wealthy merchants invested in mansions, rich fittings and lavish entertaining. Robert Wynn, third son of a local landowner, wanted a piece of the action. The house’s main frontage is discreetly hidden away in a steep narrow lane. So the High Street gatehouse only hints at the grandeur within, as you rise via a series of terraces to explore 17 impressive rooms. The displayed opening times are our general pattern. Please check the Cadw website for specific times and days, including closures.
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  • J&P
    3 contributions
    A hidden gem
    What an amazing house! So much history and so well preserved. The fact that is so unspoilt means you get a real sense of the spirit of Elizabethan architecture. Well worth the entrance fee – a hidden gem in the heart of Conwy.
    Visited April 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 30, 2023
  • Graham N
    Blackpool, United Kingdom162 contributions
    One not to miss
    This really is one not to miss. What you see from the entrance on the street is not what you see once you go through. The actual house is behind the facade and gives an indication of life in the Elizabethan era. I doubt whether there is a better example of a house of this sort in the UK. The visit is worth every penny of the entrance fee.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 9, 2023
  • pfefmeister
    San Francisco, California2,971 contributions
    Loved this Visit
    Great old home meticulously maintained is such a worthwhile visit. We loved the history of the home, and were impressed by the details presented as you wander from room to room. Original plaster is wonderful, the story behind it is thoughtful, and we so enjoyed our hour long visit.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 21, 2023
  • Jay B
    Fairhope, Alabama1,023 contributions
    Step Back Into Another Age
    This house is one of the most interesting historical structures we've seen. It is essentially an exact reproduction of what houses looked like in the Elizabethan era. There are numerous rooms and accompanying furniture and accessories to explore. The level of detail is amazing. You can spend just a couple of hours here or an entire day, depending on your time constraints and level of interest. They also feature a nice, high quality gift shop where you will find souvenirs not available anywhere else.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 18, 2023
  • andEmakes3
    London, United Kingdom45 contributions
    Well worth a visit
    Step back in time into a beautifully restored Elizabethan town house. Very well presented with an informative audio guide which sets the scene well. Staff very helpful too. Thoroughly recommended.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 18, 2023
  • Helen R
    Chinley, United Kingdom394 contributions
    A must-see in Conwy
    What a find! We only stuck out heads in here to get out of the rain, and then realised we could go in as we had Cadw membership! What an incredible place. The house is stunning; a fabulous example of Elizabethan architecture and design, with the added intricacies and decorations informed by the owner's travels! One room set up with videos so that you can understand the restoration work that has been done; fascinating and so carefully completed. Incredible to see something so positive come out of the Oct '87 gales. 12 and 14 years old bots also fascinated by the house! And I now know where the term 'threshold' comes from!
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written August 25, 2023
  • carol
    Wirral, United Kingdom100 contributions
    Must do
    Very impressive and interesting place, beautifully preserved lots of information to read about the life and times of that era. Shout out to the staff and volunteers who obviously love the building and it showed in their enthusiasm. Great place to visit
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 28, 2023
  • HELEN92210
    Paris, France10 contributions
    Well worth a visit
    This is a beautifully preserved Elizabethan house. A very interesting visit which gives you a real feel for what life was like at that time. Several beautiful period costumes are on display and you can even try some on for a great souvenir photo.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written September 10, 2023
  • Jb-tb
    Rotterdam, The Netherlands183 contributions
    Step back to Tudor times!
    If you like history, this is a must visit! The house provides a fantastic insight into the late Tudor period, including some of the original walls and floors, furniture, decorations, badges and carpets. It certainly helped that the fantastic team of volunteers are just as enthusiastic about history as we are:) We would love to come back again!
    Visited July 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 29, 2023
  • J-from-Marysville
    Marysville, Ohio930 contributions
    Lovely house
    This is a lovely and very interesting house. But mind your head and feet. There are hazards for tall people and foot hazards for everyone. The house was built by ship builders and many ship building techniques are evident on the second and third floors. I won't give away their secrets, so you'll have to visit to find out.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 15, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Marie R
Leeds, UK139 contributions
Mar 2020
We visited here in early March having been sent by the staff of Conwy Castle which was closed due to high winds. It is not immediately identifiable as such a big or historic building and is possible that some may pass it by. As members of English Heritage we had free access to this Welsh Heritage site and this included an audio tour. The audio was excellent suitable for children and adults and guided you easily around the site. There were also audio visual screens and films around the rooms. Some displays were not working but it did not spoil our visit. Staff were friendly and helpful. An Excellent visit
Written March 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bansteadfamily
Surrey, UK320 contributions
Aug 2020
We booked just one evening in advance for this and as previous reviews have said, the distancing rules were excellent and it felt very safe. This house is in amazing condition and has excellent examples of furniture and life- style for the time. The audio players work really well and the narrative is good. Plenty of time to wander round and see what you need to see and lovely small grounds at the back.
Very helpful staff if you need to ask questions on the way round.
This was a great find.
Written September 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GWW_12
Llandudno, UK80 contributions
Mar 2020
on the lower courtyard metal chairs and tables fill the arches and a large rubbish bin has been installed there too. not in keeping with the palce at all, which is supposed to be the "best elizabtethan townhouse".
tired exhibtions inside. a carpet of weeds and a broken well head on upper courtyard. no staff inside house. finally, a bizarre young man who apparently was regearsing a play, for which no warning was given by staff either at reception or in the house. so atmosphere spoiled.
and this with the house opening a month early.
oh, if you want to have a look at the house from crown lane, you will have difficulty with bins and cars parked by the walls.
CADW doesnt care anymore - why should you?
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FairCityFrasie
Perth, UK2,091 contributions
Oct 2021
Nearly missed this grand Tudor house in the centre of Conwy town. We saw and wondered about the building as we passed along the High Street but only discovered the main entrance after talking to someone while enjoying a coffee at Parisellas, a few yards from Plas Mawr. Plas Mawr is regarded as one of the finest examples of Tudor buildings, brilliantly restored and viewed with the help of a free hand held guide. Not well signposted or advertised.
Written November 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adam T
York, UK881 contributions
Sep 2021
This visit thoroughly exceeded our expectations and is the top thing we would recommend people come to Conwy to see. The house is beautiful and so well preserved, that it feels more like a museum has created it rather than it being the original building which is impressive. It took us 1.5 hours to listen to all of the audioguide stops and extras such as the video room, and everything was fascinating. It was definitely worthwhile doing the audioguide rather than the written guide, as there was so much more information and the characters made the place come alive.
Written April 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

i-transpire
Ilkeston, UK14 contributions
Aug 2021 • Couples
One of the best examples of Elizabethan architecture and furniture I've ever seen. Some beautiful carvings on the walls and ceilings, and you can feel the history as you're walking through. The doors were magnificent examples of Tudor craftsmanship.

A free audio guide or paper guide was available (in English and Welsh).

I visit this house everytime I have a trip to Conwy, and always find something that I've missed on previous visits!

The volunteers we asked questions to were very helpful and knowledgeable and are a credit to CADW. They drew our attention to small things that we would have missed.

Written August 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

QueenGB
Huddersfield, UK77 contributions
May 2022
Such an amazing experience, and easily the best part of our visit to this beautiful part of Wales today. Such a warm welcome from the staff & volunteers here, the audio descriptions really brought it to life and the support & information from the very lovely volunteers really made it a fantastic & informative visit. To see such preservation in a house of this age is truly remarkable and the restoration has been completed to such a high standard. The tour generated so much more interest than either of us expected & we spent such a long time listening and learning - for instance where being 'on tenterhooks', 'sleep tight' and 'the uppercrust' came from. It was particularly wonderful to be treated to a view of the 500 year old bible. I wish I lived closer as I would love to volunteer here and learn more & work with such a lovely bunch of people. Thanks also to the very fab lady in the shop who gave us a mini welsh pronunciation lesson & an alternative route home, should we get caught in the Llandudno traffic!
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AKaD1981
Kilkenny, Ireland87 contributions
Jun 2022
I went on a short trip to Wales especially to see this place after my colleague who works with me at a similar site in Kilkenny (Rothe House) had recommended it. It is absolutely stunning how all the details survived for so long: the wall paneling, the thresholds, the furniture. And it's great to see the replicated things like the brewing "apparatus" (because Rothe House would have had one as well) I liked the audio guides, too; it was only a bit strange that his second wife wasn't mentioned, even though he had 7 children with her and none with the first. Luckily, a very knowledgeable volunteer guide called Marie was very helpful and answered all our questions and told us the meaning of "threshold" and "tender hooks".
I was very pleased to see a urinal on display, because I talk about that on my tour, and it was great to see an actual one.
Well done to everyone involved, and hopefully more people will chance to go inside in the future.
Written June 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

pfefmeister
San Francisco, CA2,971 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Great old home meticulously maintained is such a worthwhile visit. We loved the history of the home, and were impressed by the details presented as you wander from room to room. Original plaster is wonderful, the story behind it is thoughtful, and we so enjoyed our hour long visit.
Written May 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Willimina Segal
26 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
Visited Plas Mawr on the spur of the moment today with my son. The staff were really helpful on arrival and chatty. Very autism aware and accommodating for my son who has disabilities.

We took the audio tour as well as taking part in the Halloween Spooky Trail. My son was given a chocolate lolly for completing the tour afterwards. They were really kind.

The house itself is a must see. Great for the history enthusiast, where the audio tour offers a more in-depth look at the history of each room. You listen to the few minutes long narrative and then are presented with the option to discover more in each room. The Cadw staff on each floor were lovely, engaging and enthusiastic as well as helpful.

The great thing about the site is you can take as much from it as you want. There are two types of self guided tour, cards to read or audio players to listen to. There’s also very family friendly fun like Tudor era dress up too. The rooms are all furnished according to an inventory taken in the 1600s, the story of the house follows the Wynne family who lived there some years earlier.

It’s also incredible to think a house of that size in right in the middle of Conwy.

Definitely worth seeing.
Written October 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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