Plas Restaurant North Wales
PLAS HISTORY
Originally ‘Plas Yn Harlech’ and owned by the Nanny and Vaughan family who were the principal gentry in the county of Merioneth , it was used as a town house when the courts were in session in Harlech. In the early 17th century the courts moved to Bala and the Plas fell into decay.
In 1830 Sir Robert W. Vaughan converted the ruin into a coaching inn to cater for the new Caernarfon to Barmouth coach service. Stables were built across the road and it was called the Blue Lion Inn, taken from the family crest.
In 1856 the inn and land were purchased by Mr. Hatton Wood who developed the property as a house and called it ‘Plas’ meaning a large house or mansion. The Plas was left it in 1891 to his nephew Harold Finch Hatton. Harold was one of the founders and first president of the Royal St David’s golf club and became High Sheriff of Merionethshire in 1903. On his death in 1904 the property passed to his brother the 13th Earl of Winchilsea who moved in during 1905, as in those days Harlech was noted for its beneficial climate and the Earl suffered from rheumatism. His son Denys Finch Hatton was 18 when the family moved to Harlech and he will be best remembered for his exploits in Africa and romance with Karen Blixen as portrayed by Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in ‘Out of Africa’. At Christmas the Winchilseas hosted supper concerts for the local gentry with Christmas music being performed in the candle lit drawing room.
The Winchilseas left Harlech in 1912 as the extravagant Earl had depleted the family fortunes. An auction was held at which the ‘Plas’ amongst other properties was sold off.
In 1925 the centre section became the Plas café, part of it became a grocery shop ( now the Spar ) and the stables became the Blue Lion bakery. A feature of the dining room is the gas chandeliers. These are unusual as there has never been a mains gas supply in Harlech and the Earl had methane gas produced organically.