At a glance
14th-century merchant's house on Castle Street in Conwy — believed to be the oldest house in Wales still on its original site. National Trust managed, period rooms tracing eight centuries of history. Adult ~£5.50; members free. Open March–October. LL32 8AY.
About Aberconwy House
Aberconwy House stands on Castle Street in the walled town of Conwy — a 14th-century merchant's dwelling that has occupied this spot continuously since it was built, probably in the late 1300s, within the English colonial borough founded by Edward I alongside Conwy Castle in 1284. It is managed by the National Trust and is widely identified as the oldest surviving house in Wales, a claim supported by its construction date, its continuous occupation on the same site, and its remarkably complete survival. The building shows the domestic architecture of a prosperous medieval merchant's household: timber-framed construction, modest rooms, low ceilings, and small windows that are characteristic of the period.
The interior is arranged to represent different periods of the house's long history — from its medieval origins through the Civil War, the Georgian era, and the Victorian period. Each room is furnished and explained by an audio guide that follows the house from the 14th century to the early 20th, tracking both the changing fortunes of the building's various occupants and the wider history of Conwy itself. The building has been a bakery, a coffee house, an antique shop, and a private house at different points — a history that reflects the changing commercial life of the town over eight centuries.
Aberconwy House sits within one of the best-preserved medieval walled towns in Britain, surrounded by other heritage of exceptional quality. Conwy Castle (five minutes' walk) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plas Mawr (two minutes' walk along Castle Street) is the finest Elizabethan town house in Wales. The 1.3-kilometre town walls circuit is free to walk. Telford's suspension bridge and the Smallest House in Britain are on the quayside. The combination gives Conwy a density of heritage that rewards a full day's visit.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
Aberconwy House is widely described as the oldest surviving house in Wales — a 14th-century merchant's dwelling that has stood on Castle Street in Conwy without interruption since it was built, probably in the late 1300s. The claim to "oldest" is difficult to verify with absolute certainty, as the dating of old buildings is complex and other structures in Wales may have earlier components. What is clear is that Aberconwy House is exceptionally old, in remarkable condition for its age, and that it represents the domestic architecture of medieval Welsh town life in a way few other surviving buildings can match.
Aberconwy House was built in the late 14th century as the town house of a prosperous merchant in the newly founded English colonial town of Conwy — one of Edward I's plantation boroughs established alongside the castle in 1284. Over the following centuries the house served various functions: it has been a bakery, an antique shop, a coffee house, and a private residence at different points in its history. The National Trust acquired it in 1934 and restored it, furnishing different rooms to represent different periods in the house's long life. The audio guide traces the building from its medieval origins to the early 20th century.
The house has several rooms on different floors, each interpreted to represent a different era of the house's history. A medieval room shows the house in its original 14th-century form; later rooms represent the Civil War period, the Georgian era, and Victorian domestic life. An audiovisual room traces the history of Conwy itself — the castle, the walls, and the plantation borough — to give context to the building. The building structure itself — the original roof timbers, the medieval proportions, the low ceilings and small windows of a pre-modern building — is as interesting as the furnishings.
Aberconwy House is on Castle Street — the main street of the walled town — a short walk from Conwy Castle, Plas Mawr (the finest Elizabethan town house in Wales, also on the same street), and the quayside. A half-day in Conwy can comfortably include the town walls circuit (free, 1.3 km), Aberconwy House, Plas Mawr, and a walk along the quayside. The Smallest House in Britain (a genuine 16th-century fisherman's cottage on the quayside, open seasonally) adds another curiosity. National Trust members get free admission to Aberconwy House; Plas Mawr is managed by Cadw and charged separately.
Aberconwy House is in the walled town of Conwy, where parking within the walls is very limited. The main car parks are outside the town gates — the large Conwy RSPB car park by the castle is the most convenient, with a short walk through the town gate to Castle Street. In summer, Conwy can be extremely busy and car parks fill early. Conwy railway station is a 5-minute walk from Aberconwy House; trains run regularly from Llandudno Junction (5 minutes) and Llandudno (15 minutes), making the train a practical option on summer weekends.