We know that the “Tyny” was built in the 16th century as a coaching inn, but cannot find any record of the exact date, and later as a staging post for the Royal Mail circa 1800.

The earliest post offices (where the public would take or collect their mail) were usually housed at inns, and were known as Letter Receiving Houses where the only duties of the Innkeeper-cum Postmaster were the acceptance and handing over of letters, the exchange of mailbags and the provision of fresh horses for the Post-Boys (few Post-Boys had a mail cart or even a horse) hence the stabling facility as shown on the old photographs.

We are led to believe that the hotel was constructed during the reign of King Henry VIII, our only indications are the lintels over the windows in the dining room, which appear to be keels from ship wrecks, as new timber could not be used for building during the Kings ship building programme, secondhand timber was to be used (there’s even a spar holding up the ceiling to the cellar).

Over the years the “Tyny” has been restructured and restyled, to such an extent that by careful study of the old photographs and the different stonework we can be sure of the different phases and approximate dates of change.

The main changes took place after circa 1850, such as the whole upper floor and roof was remodelled with the addition of the mock Tudor timber work and the addition of the first floor accommodation over the stables ( the flooring in the stables still appears to be original) and the second dining room plus possibly the kitchen.

Regarding the kitchen, we have found beneath the bar floor indications of wear to a slate floor which would be caused by the to and fro of serving staff between the then kitchen and eating area, so we assume that the back bar was once the kitchen, this is further supported by the largest chimney breast in the property which would have served a cooking range, plus the fact, that in times gone by, there would not have been a bar as such just a taproom. We were told by a very elderly lady that the posh folk’s staff would sleep in that room, which is quite possible as it would be the warmest place in the Hotel, so much for hygiene.

We believe that the windows in the present kitchen plus the ones in the entrance vestibule were from the Dolgellau Gaol house following its demolition and that the plinth to the fire was once the rear wall to the public urinal, urghh!. Talking of toilets, many locals can remember the lack of toilet facilities to the back bar, when there was only a tin shed for gents (no ladies) and that the internal loos were for the posh residents, needless to say, we have remedied this now (we don’t have posh residents Ha! ).

At one time the Tyn-y-Groes Cottages were used to house the staff to the hotel, but when that changed, under the stewardship of the National Trust, even they have no record. It is reported that the British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, stated in his memoirs that the finest walk he had ever taken was from the Tyn-y-Groes to Barmouth but even better coming back, no doubt for one of the fine malt whiskies that were once part of the Hotel tradition, even that he left one of his infamous bags over the door to his favorite room.

We are still investigating the history and heritage of the “Tyny” especially in the local archives and will keep you posted of future discoveries.