Tafarn y Pendre / The Pendre Inn

Enw gwreiddiol y dafarn oedd The Masons Arms, ac mae’n ymddangos bod tŷ tafarn yma ers y 1790au o leiaf.

Roedd wedi bod yn rhan o Ystâd Tregroes ac roedd y tir gerllaw yn cael ei ffermio gan John Davies.

Roedd agosrwydd y dafarn at y tollborth  ym mhen ucha’r dref yn golygu bod llawer o sylw wedi’i roi i’r fan yn ystod Terfysgoedd Rebeca. Ym mis Medi 1843 ymosododd y terfysgwyr ar y iet a’i dinistrio gan arwain at ddwyn achos yn erbyn llawer o bobl leol.

Fodd bynnag, tawelodd pethau a rhwng 1851-1876, Thomas Lewis, saer maen, oedd yn landlord yma. Mae’n bosib bod llawer o’i gyfeillion adeiladu yn galw i dorri’u syched – a hynny yn arwain at yr enw ‘Masons’ Arms’. Ym 1876, bu farw Elizabeth Harries o Lochmeler, y perchennog, a chafodd y dafarn, gan gynnwys stabl, coetsdŷ a chae eu gwerthu mewn ocsiwn.

Rhwng 1880 a 1891 Amos Evans oedd y landlord, a newidiodd yr enw i ‘Dagarn y Pendre’.  Ym 1898, roedd y teulu Evans yn dal yn y Pendre, ond roedd Martha Young yn dafarnwraig erbyn 1901. Martha Evans oedd yn dal y drwydded yn 1906 , a’i mab-yng-nghyfraith, John Davies, rhwng 1907-1923.

Mae un o’r lluniau uchod yn dangos yr enw ‘Mourley’ uwchben y drws. Roedd Miss Winifred Mourley yn landlord o 1931-38, gan ddod yn Mrs Winny Harries yn 1945 ar ei phriodas ag Aelwyn Harries.
Newidiodd y Pendre ddwylo ym 1955 am £2,500 i Mrs Agnes Mary Morgan. Ym 1963, prynodd Edna Lees (o’r Hope & Anchor yn Wdig) y dafarn am £4,500. Ym 1964, pan fu farw Mrs Lees, daeth ei gŵr yn landlord.

Yn fwy diweddar, rhedwyd y Pendre gan Mike & Pam Starkey, ac yn ddiweddarach, o 2006 ymlaen, gan Charlotte & Jason Morrell. Nid yw’n dafarn bellach ond yn gartref teuluol.

Yn yr 1940au a’r 50au, cynhaliwyd rhan o Ffair Abergwaun (pob Hydref yr 8fed) yn y cae drws nesaf i dafarn y Pendre, gyda’r stondinau a’r reidiau eraill wedi’u lleoli ym Maes Parcio Y Wesh, a elwid bryd hynny yn ‘Barc y Sailors’. Byddai’r bobol ifanc yn hala llawer o amser yn cerdded trwy Barc Lota o un hanner y ffair i’r llall! Byddai rhai stondinau ar Y Wesh, a stondinau ar y Sgwâr fel arfer yn gwerthu llestri neu “fargeinion gwych” eraill. Byddai’r syrcas hefyd yn stopio ar gae Pendre ar ei ffordd o Hwlffordd i Aberteifi.

Originally known as The Masons Arms, there seems to have been a watering hole here since at least the 1790s.

It had been part of the Tregroes Estate and the land nearby was farmed by a John Davies.

The close proximity of the pub to the tollgate and cottage at the top of town meant that during the Rebecca Riots, much attention was given to the spot. In September 1843 the rioters attacked and destroyed the gate leading to a case being brought against many local people.

However, things quietened down and between 1851-1876, Thomas Lewis, stonemason, was landlord here.  It is possible that many of his mason friends called to quench their thirst – hence ‘Masons’ Arms’. In 1876, the owner, Elizabeth Harries of Lochmeler passed away, and the property, including a stable, coach house and field were auctioned off.

Between 1880 and 1891 Amos Evans was the landlord, and he changed the name to ‘The Pendre Inn’. (This is a very fitting name as ‘pen-dre’ means ‘top-of-town’.) In 1898, the Evans family were still at the Pendre, but Martha Young was innkeeper by 1901. Martha Evans held the license in 1906, and her son-in-law, John Davies, between 1907-1923.

One of the above photos shows the name ‘Mourley’ above the door. Miss Winifred Mourley was landlady from 1931-38, becoming Mrs Winny Harries in 1945 on her marriage to Aelwyn Harries in 1945.
The Pendre changed hands in 1955 for £2,500 to Mrs Agnes Mary Morgan. In 1963, Edna Lees of the Hope & Anchor in Goodwick purchased it for £4,500. In 1964, on Mrs Lees’ demise, her husband became landlord.

More recently, the Pendre was run by Mike & Pam Starkey, and later, in 2006, was purchased by Charlotte & Jason Morrell. It is no longer a public house but a much loved family home.

In the 1940s and 50s, part of Fishguard Fair (October 8th annually) was held in the field next to the Pendre Inn, the other stalls and rides being located at the West Street Car Park location, then known as the Sailor’s Field. Much time was spent walking through Lota Park from one half of the fair to the other! There would be some stalls on West street and stalls on the Square usually selling china or other “fantastic bargains”. The circus would also stop at Pendre field on it’s way from Haverfordwest to Cardigan.