north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
South Wales History

The Skirrid Inn, Wales Oldest Inn

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north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.
north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.

⚖️ The Hanging Judge & the Haunted Pub: The Dark Legend of Judge Jeffreys at the Skirrid Inn

If you’ve ever driven through the rolling hills north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn’t its most famous feature.

Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.”

Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.

George Jeffreys (1645–1689), later the Baron Jeffreys of Wem, was no ordinary judge. Known for his ruthless rulings during the Bloody Assizes of 1685, he sentenced hundreds to death after the failed Monmouth Rebellion

🧑‍⚖️ Who Was Judge Jeffreys?

George Jeffreys (1645–1689), later the Baron Jeffreys of Wem, was no ordinary judge. Known for his ruthless rulings during the Bloody Assizes of 1685, he sentenced hundreds to death after the failed Monmouth Rebellion. He didn’t just uphold the law—he terrorised with it. His name became a symbol of judicial cruelty, and the hangman’s noose was never far behind.

 

It’s said that during his time travelling through Wales, Jeffreys presided over a makeshift court inside the Skirrid Inn.

🏰 Trials, Trapdoors & Executions

The Skirrid Inn, located in Llanvihangel Crucorney, has long been more than just a public house. According to local legend, its upper floor was used as a courtroom, and Judge Jeffreys himself sentenced over 180 people to death from within its timbered walls.

And here’s the gruesome twist: the condemned were allegedly hanged inside the inn itself, using a rope looped over a beam at the top of the main staircase. The execution beam is still there today—dark, scarred, and heavy with silence. Some even claim the grooves in the wood are the result of hundreds of hangings.

north of Abergavenny, you might have passed a weathered old building tucked beneath the slopes of the Skirrid Mountain. Charming from the outside and chilling within, the Skirrid Mountain Inn is often said to be the oldest pub in Wales—but age isn't its most famous feature. Locals and ghost-hunters alike whisper about the pub’s gruesome past, including hangings, hauntings, and a particularly sinister guest: Judge George Jeffreys, better known as “The Hanging Judge.” Let’s unravel the legend behind one of South Wales’ most haunted landmarks.

👻 The Hauntings Begin

It’s not just history that lingers in the Skirrid Inn—it’s spirits too. Visitors and ghost-hunters report:

  • Disembodied footsteps on the stairs.
  • Sudden choking sensations, as if an invisible noose tightens.
  • The sound of a gavel banging from the long-gone courtroom.
  • A cold presence near the hanging beam, thought to be either a remorseful         prisoner—or Jeffreys himself, surveying his work.

Some have even seen a shadowy figure in judicial robes, appearing briefly before vanishing into the stone walls.

Whether you’re a believer or not, the atmosphere is undeniably eerie.

📜 Truth or Tall Tale?

So, did Judge Jeffreys really pass sentence in a rural Welsh pub?

There’s no written court record tying him directly to the Skirrid Inn, but history does show that local inns often served as courthouses in 17th-century rural Wales. Given Jeffreys’ circuit routes and the inn’s location near key travel paths, it’s certainly plausible.

Like many powerful legends, this one has endured not because it’s proven, but because it feels true. The history, architecture, and atmosphere combine to make the story irresistibly believable.

🍻 A Pint with the Paranormal

Despite its dark past, the Skirrid Inn today is a cosy, character-filled pub offering hearty Welsh fare, a fine selection of ales, and even haunted overnight stays. You can sleep in the same rooms that once housed prisoners—or perhaps worse.

And if you’re feeling brave, book a spot on one of the regular ghost hunt evenings, where you might just hear Judge Jeffreys’ gavel echo through the timbered halls once more.

📍Visiting the Skirrid Inn

Location: Llanvihangel Crucorney, Abergavenny NP7 8DH

What3Words: ///motivator.starring.hides

Website: www.skirridinn.com

Ghost Hunts: Haunted Happenings – Skirrid In

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