At a glance
Plas Mawr (LL32 8DE) is the finest surviving Elizabethan townhouse in Wales — built 1576–1585 by the merchant Robert Wynn within Conwy's medieval walls. Outstanding decorative plasterwork, great hall and kitchen. Cadw, adult admission ~£6.80, members free. Open Easter–October. Combine with Conwy Castle (200 m) for a full Conwy history day.
About Plas Mawr
Plas Mawr — "Great Hall" in Welsh — stands within the medieval town walls of Conwy, a remarkable survival in one of the most historically rich small towns in Wales. Built between 1576 and 1585 for the merchant and courtier Robert Wynn, the house represents the apogee of Elizabethan domestic architecture in Wales: a building designed to impress, to display wealth and royal connections, and to provide a comfortable and sophisticated home for a man who had moved in the highest circles of Elizabethan society before returning to North Wales.
The interior is its glory. Throughout the house, decorative plasterwork of exceptional quality covers ceilings, overmantels and friezes — displaying heraldic devices, hunting scenes, mythological figures and royal emblems in a programme that communicates Wynn's social ambitions and loyalties. The great hall, the principal bedchamber and the kitchen are all preserved with Cadw's interpretation bringing the Elizabethan household to life.
Plas Mawr is one of three outstanding historical monuments within walking distance of each other in Conwy — alongside Edward I's castle (1283, UNESCO) and the complete circuit of medieval town walls. Together they make Conwy one of the most remarkable small towns for historical visiting in Britain, with an almost unbroken physical record from 1283 to the late 16th century concentrated within half a mile.
Visiting tips
Getting there
Plas Mawr is on High Street within Conwy town walls (LL32 8DE). Conwy rail station is 5 minutes' walk. Car parks are in and around the town — the Cadw website gives current opening times and prices. Check seasonal hours before visiting.
Conwy in one day
Plas Mawr (1.5–2.5 hours) + Conwy Castle (1.5–2 hours) + town walls walk (45 min) gives a full day of exceptional Conwy heritage. Lunch in the town — several cafés on High Street. Aberconwy House (NT) can be added for those wanting the medieval merchant perspective alongside the Elizabethan.
Find it on the map
Frequently asked questions
Plas Mawr was built by Robert Wynn (c.1520–1598), a Welsh merchant and courtier who had served in the courts of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I before returning to North Wales. Wynn built Plas Mawr between 1576 and 1585 as a statement of his wealth and status — the decorative plasterwork, which includes the royal coat of arms and Wynn family heraldry, was intended to display his connections to the Elizabethan court.
The decorative plasterwork. Throughout the house, ornamental plasterwork in the form of friezes, overmantels and ceiling decorations displays an extraordinary range of Elizabethan heraldic and decorative motifs — the royal arms, the Wynn family coat of arms, hunting scenes, mythological figures and complex geometric patterns. The great hall and principal chambers have some of the finest examples of Elizabethan interior decoration surviving in Britain.
Plas Mawr is exceptional because it is a town house rather than a country mansion — built within the walls of a medieval walled town, on an irregular plot that required considerable ingenuity in its planning. Most major Elizabethan houses in Britain are rural manor houses or country seats; Plas Mawr shows the wealth and sophistication available to a successful Elizabethan merchant in an urban setting.
Conwy offers exceptional historical density. Conwy Castle (Edward I, 1283, UNESCO World Heritage Site) is 200 m from Plas Mawr. The complete medieval town walls (1.3 km, free to walk) enclose both. Aberconwy House (National Trust, admission applies) is a medieval merchant's house from around 1300. Combine all three for a full day of Conwy's 700 years of history.
Yes — Cadw provides activity trails and resources specifically designed for younger visitors, and the domestic scale of Plas Mawr (kitchens, great hall, bedchambers) makes it more accessible to children than purely military sites. The question of how Elizabethan people lived, cooked, ate and entertained is well presented throughout the house.