travellers rest caerphilly history

British Listed Buildings

History in structure, travellers rest inn, a grade ii listed building in caerphilly (caerffili), caerphilly.

Coordinates

Latitude: 51.5517 / 51°33'6"N

Longitude: -3.2152 / 3°12'54"W

OS Eastings: 315842

OS Northings: 184345

OS Grid: ST158843

Mapcode National: GBR HW.FHZ1

Mapcode Global: VH6F0.7849

Plus Code: 9C3RHQ2M+MW

Entry Name: Travellers Rest Inn

Listing Date: 18 February 1999

Last Amended: 18 February 1999

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 21375

Building Class: Recreational

ID on this website: 300021375

Location: Located on a sharp bend on the ridge top, before the road descends towards Cardiff. Castell Morgraig lies uphill to the E.

County: Caerphilly

Town: Caerphilly

Community: Caerphilly (Caerffili)

Community: Caerphilly

Locality: Thornhill

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Tagged with: Pub Inn

Late C16 house and byre, probably with cross passage. A further unit, possibly stables, was attached at the opposite end. The outer units were convered for domestic use in the C18, perhaps at the same time as it became an inn on the Cardiff to Caerphilly road. C20 ranges to rear.

Long range of rubble stone under a thatched roof, facing S. Two-storey main house flanked by lower 2-storey wing to L (formerly one-storey and probably a byre), and a single-storey wing to R. C16 ridge stack to L of main house, C18-19 stacks to wings. C20 gabled porch to R of centre with planked door to W side and 6-pane window to front. A second planked door L of centre with strap hinges is probably the original entrance and would have led to a cross passage. Small multipane wooden casement windows irregularly placed: The lower storey has 6 6 pane windows L of the doorways, and a 6-pane window R of the porch. The R wing has a single light and a 2-casement window, each with horizontal glazing bars. The windows flanking the porch have raised rendered surrounds. Three windows to upper storey. The W gable end is rendered to the upper half and has no openings. A long C20 rear range projects at the W end. Further late C20 extensions behind.

The inn retains its 3 fireplaces, all facing E. The C16 fireplace in the main house is the largest: it has a curved timber lintel with small chamfer and cut stops, with a bakeoven to its R. To the rear side of this fireplace (in the original cross-passage) are 2 recesses with lintels. The E and W fireplaces are smaller with straight timber lintels, the former probably reset. Floor joists extant in central room.

Reasons for Listing

Listed as a C16 farmhouse (subsequently converted to an inn) of considerable character, with well preserved detail.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29498705

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

• II Castell Morgraig Located approximately 100m E of the car park of the Travellers' Rest Inn. On a steep scarp, the ground falling sharply to the N and S, with good visibility over the road from Cardiff to Caerphilly.
• II* New House Hotel On the lower slopes of Caerphilly Mountain in countryside overlooking Cardiff and beyond the Bristol Channel, reached by a drive.
• II The Long Barn and attached courtyard wall, gates and railings Close to the entrance gateway to New House, on the hillside overlooking Cardiff.
• II Briwnant Farmhouse and adjoining farm range Set on a platform site the S slope of Caerphilly Mountain overlooking Cardiff and reached by a long track.
• II Hill Farmhouse On the S facing slope of Caerphilly Mountain overlooking Llanishen and reached by a farm track, separated from the farmyard by a walled garden.
• II Pantysgawen Situated on the lower slopes of Caerphilly mountain, just above the M4 and reached by a farm track behind Manor Park Hotel.
• II Watford Chapel Located on a steep hill below Caerphilly mountain, S of Caerphilly town centre. The gabled entrance fronts the road. To the N is the burial ground.
• II Watford Fach Farmhouse with adjoining former barn Fronting Watford Road as it climbs out of the town towards Caerphilly mountain. Opposite Plas Watford.

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.

The Travellers Rest

Review Highlights

“ Right smack bang on top of Caerphilly Mountain , and the only pub for a few miles around so also very busy. ” in 4 reviews

“ If you manage this then The Traveller's Rest do a fantastic Sunday lunch that really hits the spot. ” in 2 reviews

“ Once through the woods you can enjoy the most amazing views over Cardiff and the channel. ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

Thornhill Road

Caerphilly CF83 1LY

United Kingdom

Amenities and More

14 More Attributes

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

wanted to cancel mains before they came out they said they cant i said i dont want them and im going to leave and just pay the starters and drink and they said they will call the police because they said the good was about done but still took 20 to 30mins so not only didnt they let me cancel they lied about the food being nearly done and threatened to call the police so was forced to pay the bill by your staff the old woman there then called me claiming it was theft if we didnt pay but by law if the mains havent came to the table its not theft its a civil matter i did offer to pay for the starters and drinks which was already on the table but they was trying to say the mains have to be paid which is incorrect as its not theft untill the mains come and we started to eat the mains he tried to claim i was going to walk out without paying for drinks and starters but i said ill pay them but not the mains as they havent even same out yet i was trying to expect the reason for canceling and wanted to leave due to a mental health breakdown but rude old woman staff spoke over me

Lunch in The Travelers Rest. Food OK, Service OK just a cold atmosphere no fire going, no heat.

Phenomenal food and service. I got the moving mountains burger and the mini chocolate brownie for desert.

Chocolate brownie and americano

Incredible food and great service. Doom Bar beer was a great compliment to the main course. Excellent coffee served with the mini desserts. Real old world pub feel too.

Great food and great service. Everyone was very friendly and I had some of the best banoffee pie I've ever had. Everyone in my party was extremely satisfied and happy with everything we had, drinks too!

Went here for dinner and had the hunters chicken. It was very good and came with steak and chips. We stayed a long time and had a lot of beer and the staff was very sweet and let us stay quite late. Thank you!

Cosy, Country pub, dog friendly, stunning food and friendly staff. Will definitely be going back again.

I have often gone to the Traveler's Rest for Sunday Lunch and I must say it is the worst time to go. it is always busy and because you can't pre-book you end up, along with other would be diners, hovering around looking to jump into someone's seat if they look like they are leaving. Quite embarrassing if they are only going to the toilet. This problem aside I've always had a good meal here. So maybe I should think about going when its less busy. It's a nice looking pub, with a thatched roof, nestled into the side of Caerphilly mountain. Watch you don't bang your head on the way in as it has a low beam warning you how low it is. The problem is I am usually too busy reading this sign and forget to duck. The inside is quite dark but adds to that quaint cosy cottage style feel and the service is good. The only thing I would add is that the manger seems to have problem smiling.

Matt B and his grandma and I rocked up at about 6:45 on Saturday and we were seated immediately. I got salmon with veggies and chips. The salmon was perfectly cooked, the chips were chunky and crisp, and the veggies were lightly sautéed. It was pieces of red pepper, yellow pepper, and aubergine. They were busy so everything seemed to take a little longer. We had brownie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Totally delicious. Gooey brownie with fudge and creamy ice cream.

Visited the Travellers Rest last week, late afternoon, hadn't been there for a year! Stains on chairs and other seating, everything looked grubby and worn out! Staff seemed as though they didn't care. We were greeted with - have you got a reservation? When we said no, gentleman said well the restaurant is fully booked so find a table over there! Really funny that we could see plenty of tables empty. Anyway we ordered just appetisers and drinks, which were ok This used to be a great pub! It's a shame it has been left to deteriorate. Really needs some TLC urgently.

3 other reviews that are not currently recommended

People Also Viewed

Ty Mawr Arms

The Oystercatcher

Nags Head Inn

The Summerhouse

The Gwaelod Y Garth Inn

The Marquis

Dining in Caerphilly

Search for Reservations

Book a Table in Caerphilly

Other Places Nearby

Find more Gastro Pubs near The Travellers Rest

Find more Pubs near The Travellers Rest

Search form

The travellers rest, caerphilly.

Dating back to the 18 th century and located on Caerphilly Mountain.  Nearby stands a forgotten Welsh Castle.  A certain George Lightfoot ran the thatched Travellers from the Second World War until 1971.

Has tiny first floor windows and the building constructed from large rounded boulders.  An inglenook and low levelled blackened beams can be seen inside the building.  The lounge and restaurant area date from a later period.

Part of the Vintage Group Inns.

Regular changing real ales.

The Travellers Rest, Thornhill, Caerphilly, Cardiff  CF83 1LY

• Gone but not forgotten
• Non-Welsh Pubs
• Pubs associated with Welsh Sportsmen
• Haunted pubs

Recently added

Tweets by @PubsCymru

• Request new password

Privacy & Terms | House Rules E&OE. All content on this site, unless otherwise stated, is Copyright © PubsCymru website by euan raffel

• Caerphilly Tourism
• Caerphilly Hotels
• Caerphilly Bed and Breakfast
• Caerphilly Vacation Rentals
• Flights to Caerphilly
• The Travellers Rest
• Things to Do in Caerphilly
• Caerphilly Travel Forum
• Caerphilly Photos
• Caerphilly Map
• All Caerphilly Hotels
• Caerphilly Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Caerphilly
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Vacation Rentals
• Travel Stories
• Rental Cars
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travelers' Choice
• Help Center

Wonderful lunch experience. - The Travellers Rest

• Europe    
• United Kingdom (UK)    
• Wales    
• South Wales    
• Caerphilly County    
• Caerphilly    
• Caerphilly Restaurants    

“Wonderful lunch experience.” Review of The Travellers Rest

Attended for my aunts birthday lunch. We were served by Joel & Darren. Joel was new to the job & being trained by Darren. They both went over & above to make the occasion really special. They were very attentive & cheerful. The service was exceptional & the food was delicious. Will definitely return again.

Thank you again for taking the time to let us know how we did. We hope you have a great day!

• Excellent 386
• Very good 209
• Average 182
• Terrible 231
• All languages
• English  (1,215)
• French  (2)
• Italian  (2)
• More languages
• English (1,215)
• Italian (2)
• Japanese (1)

2 - 6 of 1,220 reviews

We had a family meal at the Travellers Rest yesterday and the food was great as usual. However, what stood out most was the service received from our server Darren.. he was timely with service and attentive to our party, but also remembered my partner’s 10-year old son from out last visit and made such a fuss of him during the meal by making jokes and pretending to offer him a job that he made our afternoon and left a young boy feeling like he had a new best friend! Darren makes you feel like special customers every time and always goes out of his way to make customers feel welcome. Thank you so much.. we will be back!

Hi Heltheexplorer, we are very happy to have provided you with such a positive experience!

Went out with family and friends! Service was brilliant! Not only the normal service but when my daughter managed to accidentally tip a glass of milk over my son and the surrounding area! 3 of the team came to help and lent him pub clothes - really appreciate it

Julie L, reviews like this give us motivation and help us ensure we provide high-quality care.

Absolutely gorgeous food and the service was spot on! Would highly recommend. I have to give a special shout out to Ben the Manager. Such a lovely, friendly, polite person, always goes above and beyond to help you! Thank you for a lovely experience x

Abby J, thank you so much for the positive review!

We didn’t even get to visit! I booked for 9 and needed to add 3 more people to the booking. Even with 8 days notice, and you are able to book a table of 12 on the online booking app, a super unhelpful guy informed me over the phone that a table of 8 was the biggest table they had, they were unable to move tables in the restaurant, and if we wanted a booking of 12 some people would be seated at the other end of the restaurant!? Such a shame this pub has a management team that can’t manage… we will spend our money elsewhere

Lisa N, thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback about your experience with us. The largest table we actually do here due to the layout of the pub is a 10, we cannot accommodate any tables larger. We also limit table number sizes on our busier days/times to limit the effect on our kitchen and other guests. We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Travelers who viewed The Travellers Rest also viewed

Been to the travellers rest share your experiences, owners: what's your side of the story.

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

Browse nearby

• Caerphilly Tourism
• Caerphilly Hotels
• Caerphilly Guest House
• Caerphilly Holiday Homes
• Caerphilly Flights
• The Travellers Rest
• Caerphilly Attractions
• Caerphilly Travel Forum
• Caerphilly Photos
• Caerphilly Map
• All Caerphilly Hotels
• Caerphilly Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Caerphilly
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday homes
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Excellent - The Travellers Rest

• Europe    
• United Kingdom (UK)    
• Wales    
• South Wales    
• Caerphilly County    
• Caerphilly    
• Caerphilly Restaurants    

“Excellent ” Review of The Travellers Rest

Last time we came to this establishment we walked in and walked straight back out. We decided to give it another go after friends had said it had changed ownership and was good for food. We were greeted at the entrance and offered a range of seating. The staff were very knowledgeable and pleasant. When the food arrived we couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. It looked as good as it tasted. Amazing! Thank you Travellers Rest Caerphilly/Cardiff.

Hi there We are so glad you came back to see that a lot of things changed and hope to see you again soon.

• Excellent 386
• Very good 209
• Average 182
• Terrible 231
• All languages
• English  (1,215)
• French  (2)
• Italian  (2)
• More languages
• English (1,215)
• Italian (2)
• Japanese (1)

589 - 593 of 1,220 reviews

We had a disappointing experience last winter so returned with some trepidation. However, this place has definitely upped its game. The food was great. The service was efficient despite the largeness of our group. We will visit again soon.

Fantastic to see you came back to us and we are so happy that you enjoyed your visit with us. See you all again soon.

We were visiting family who have recently moved to Caerphilly. The Travellers Rest came recommended by their work colleagues as a good place to eat. It is a lovely thatched pub and very picturesque both inside and out. It was a lovely sunny day and people sat outside but we were happy with our inside table. Service was excellent and very attentive. We chose a wide variety of dishes from the detailed menu and all were cooked just right. My only complaint is that it was poorly signposted as you travel from Caerphilly snd we had gone past before we knew it. Get better signage so people don't miss this gem!

Thank you for this amazing review. We have passed your suggestion to our marketing department and we agree it would be very helpful. Thanks again

We decided to go to the Travellers Rest as a family to celebrate our Anniversary. Been here many times over the years and it never fails to disappoint. A good selection of food on the menu never fails for choice and this evening was no exception. Staff were knowledgable and friendly. I had the lamb shank on bubble and squeek which was excellent and finished with a Peach Melba Eton Mess with marshmallow which was huge, sticky and very sweet! Only criticism I had on this occassion was a wobbly table and some of the seats were quite hard! Still, it didn't detract from an enjoyable evening.

Thank you very much for this review, its always great to have positive feedback and we hope to see you again soon.

On a recent visit to Cardiff we had time to kill before our next "appointment" so we tried the Travellers Rest for a drink and a snack late one Sunday afternoon in August. Our experience was positive; service was prompt and friendly, our food (a shared starter platter for two) was well cooked, tasty and nicely presented; the portion size was reasonable. A large glass of Merlot, a pint of Diet Coke and our shared platter, decent pub grub, cost just over £20.00. I would be happy to visit the Traveller's Rest for a more substantial meal when next we visit Cardiff.

Travellers who viewed The Travellers Rest also viewed

Been to the travellers rest share your experiences, owners: what's your side of the story.

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

Browse nearby

• United Kingdom

South Wales

• Cardiff City & County

The Traveller's Rest - Caerphilly

• Good for special occasions
• Good for groups

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable reservation network.

If you like, we'll notify you by email if this restaurant joins.

Additional information

• Dining style Casual Dining
• Price £25 and under
• Cuisines International
• Hours of operation Mon–Sat 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–10:30 pm
• Phone number 029 2085 9021
• Website http://www.vintageinn.co.uk/content/vintage-inn/en/restaurants/wales/thetravellersrestcaerphilly
• Payment options AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
• Dress code Business Casual
• Location Thornhill, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan CF83 1LY
• Neighborhood Cardiff
• Parking details None
• Additional Bar Dining, Dog Friendly, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wi-Fi available

What 20 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews.

• 3.8 Service
• 4.1 Ambience

Noise • Moderate

Dined on October 26, 2019

Is this helpful?

Dined on October 21, 2018

OpenTable Diner

Dined on October 7, 2018

Dined on October 6, 2018

Dined on June 24, 2018

Herbidextrous

Dined on June 13, 2018

Dined on May 1, 2018

Dined on April 20, 2018

Dined on November 15, 2017

Dined on October 15, 2017

Dined on September 30, 2017

Dined on August 10, 2017

Dined on July 27, 2017

Dined on March 8, 2017

Dined on February 24, 2017

Dined on February 11, 2017

Dined on January 22, 2017

Dined on January 20, 2017

Dined on December 30, 2016

Dined on December 21, 2016

How is The Traveller's Rest - Caerphilly restaurant rated?

The Traveller's Rest - Caerphilly is rated 3.7 stars by 20 OpenTable diners.

Thornhill, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan CF83 1LY

• Dining Rewards
• Private Dining
• Reserve for Others
• Restaurants Near Me
• Delivery Near Me
• Restaurants Open Now
• OpenTable for iOS
• OpenTable for Android
• Affiliate Program
• OpenTable.jp
• OpenTable.de
• OpenTable.es
• OpenTable.ca
• OpenTable.hk
• OpenTable.ie
• OpenTable.sg
• OpenTable.nl
• OpenTable.com.mx
• OpenTable.co.uk
• OpenTable.com.au
• OpenTable.ae
• OpenTable.co.th
• OpenTable.it
• OpenTable.com.tw
• OpenTable.fr
• Restaurant reservation software
• Industry insights
• Hospitality resources
• Marketing resources
• Operation resources
• How to open a restaurant
• For restaurants
• For restaurant groups
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
• Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
• Cookie Preferences

• Caerphilly Tourism
• Caerphilly Hotels
• Bed and Breakfast Caerphilly
• Caerphilly Holiday Rentals
• Flights to Caerphilly
• The Travellers Rest
• Caerphilly Attractions
• Caerphilly Travel Forum
• Caerphilly Photos
• Caerphilly Map
• All Caerphilly Hotels
• Caerphilly Hotel Deals
• Last Minute Hotels in Caerphilly
• Things to Do
• Restaurants
• Holiday Homes
• Travel Stories
• Add a Place
• Travel Forum
• Travellers' Choice
• Help Centre

Wonderful lunch experience. - The Travellers Rest

• Europe    
• United Kingdom (UK)    
• Wales    
• South Wales    
• Caerphilly County    
• Caerphilly    
• Caerphilly Restaurants    

“Wonderful lunch experience.” Review of The Travellers Rest

Attended for my aunts birthday lunch. We were served by Joel & Darren. Joel was new to the job & being trained by Darren. They both went over & above to make the occasion really special. They were very attentive & cheerful. The service was exceptional & the food was delicious. Will definitely return again.

Thank you again for taking the time to let us know how we did. We hope you have a great day!

• Excellent 386
• Very good 209
• Average 182
• Terrible 231
• All languages
• English  (1 215)
• French  (2)
• Italian  (2)
• More languages
• English (1 215)
• Italian (2)
• Japanese (1)

2 - 6 of 1 220 reviews

We had a family meal at the Travellers Rest yesterday and the food was great as usual. However, what stood out most was the service received from our server Darren.. he was timely with service and attentive to our party, but also remembered my partner’s 10-year old son from out last visit and made such a fuss of him during the meal by making jokes and pretending to offer him a job that he made our afternoon and left a young boy feeling like he had a new best friend! Darren makes you feel like special customers every time and always goes out of his way to make customers feel welcome. Thank you so much.. we will be back!

Hi Heltheexplorer, we are very happy to have provided you with such a positive experience!

Went out with family and friends! Service was brilliant! Not only the normal service but when my daughter managed to accidentally tip a glass of milk over my son and the surrounding area! 3 of the team came to help and lent him pub clothes - really appreciate it

Julie L, reviews like this give us motivation and help us ensure we provide high-quality care.

Absolutely gorgeous food and the service was spot on! Would highly recommend. I have to give a special shout out to Ben the Manager. Such a lovely, friendly, polite person, always goes above and beyond to help you! Thank you for a lovely experience x

Abby J, thank you so much for the positive review!

We didn’t even get to visit! I booked for 9 and needed to add 3 more people to the booking. Even with 8 days notice, and you are able to book a table of 12 on the online booking app, a super unhelpful guy informed me over the phone that a table of 8 was the biggest table they had, they were unable to move tables in the restaurant, and if we wanted a booking of 12 some people would be seated at the other end of the restaurant!? Such a shame this pub has a management team that can’t manage… we will spend our money elsewhere

Lisa N, thank you for taking the time to leave us feedback about your experience with us. The largest table we actually do here due to the layout of the pub is a 10, we cannot accommodate any tables larger. We also limit table number sizes on our busier days/times to limit the effect on our kitchen and other guests. We’re very sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Travellers who viewed The Travellers Rest also viewed

Been to the travellers rest share your experiences, owners: what's your side of the story.

Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.

Browse nearby