Bear Hotel, Crickhowell
The Bear Hotel, formerly the White Bear, stands on Beaufort Street, Crickhowell, Powys, Wales. A coaching inn from the mid 18th century, the building has older origins from the 17th and 15th centuries. It is a Grade II* listed building.
| The Bear Hotel | |
|---|---|
 "the epitome of a mid-to later 18th century coaching inn" | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Location | Crickhowell, Powys |
| Coordinates | 51.8593°N 3.137°W |
| Built | 18th century with earlier origins |
| Architectural style(s) | Vernacular |
| Governing body | Privately owned |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | The Bear Hotel |
| Designated | 25 September 1986 |
| Reference no. | 7200 |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
| Official name | Bar to the Bear Hotel |
| Designated | 25 September 1986 |
| Reference no. | 7201 |
  Location of The Bear Hotel in Powys | |
History and description
The Powys edition of The Buildings of Wales describes the Bear as "the epitome of an 18th century coaching inn".[1] It is reputed to have functioned as an inn since 1432,[2] although Cadw attributes a certain dating only to the 17th century.[3] In the late 19th century the inn was a local headquarters of the Cyclists' Touring Club.[4] The Bear remains an independent hotel.[5] In the 1990s, Robbie Williams stayed at the Bear for some months, when recording at Rockfield Studios following his split from Take That.[6] In 2004 Johnny Depp visited while filming The Libertine at Tretower Court.[7]
The main block of the hotel comprises three storeys with four bays, with a central porch flanked by Doric columns,[1] and an arched carriage entrance to the right.[3] The Bear is a Grade II* listed building,[3] with the hotel bar having its own Grade II listing.[8]
References
- Scourfield & Haslam 2013, p. 473.
- "Bear Hotel, Crickhowell". Historic Hotels of Europe. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- Cadw. "The Bear Hotel (Grade II*) (7200)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- "Bear Hotel, Crickhowell (formerly The White Bear)". Coflein. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- "Bear Hotel, Crickhowell". The Bear Hotel. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
- "Inn popular with stars wins award". BBC News. 1 October 2009.
- Alderson, Alf (26 November 2005). "Rake's progress: Powys was the perfect setting for The Libertine". The Guardian.
- Cadw. "Bar at the Bear Hotel (Grade II) (7201)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
Sources
- Scourfield, Robert; Haslam, Richard (2013). Powys: Montgomeryshire,Radnorshire and Breconshire. The Buildings of Wales. New Haven, US and London: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300185089.