What to do at the Weekend: Afternoon Tea at Llanelly House
Located in the South Wales town of Llanelli, Camarthenshire, Plas Llanelly House is the ideal place to kick back and relax with a spot of afternoon tea.
What we did at the weekend:
Enjoyed afternoon tea at Llanelly House
Location: Llanelli, Camarthenshire
Our rating: 7/10
The History of Llanelly House
Over 300 years old, Llanelly House is a historic Georgian building in the heart of Llanelli.
It was originally built in 1714 by Sir Thomas Stepney.
During archeological investigations, remains from both the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods were also discovered.
After an impressive £6 million restoration, which was completed back in 2013, Llanelly House is home to a lovely cafe/bistro.
Its high class decoration also makes it a perfect location for weddings and a range of events.
The Llanelly House’s past has been maintained in the design of the restoration.
Iconic architectural features and artifacts from the house’s past occupants have been preserved and are located throughout.
Enjoying Afternoon Tea at Llanelly House
Visiting Wales to celebrate Tanith’s Gran’s 80th birthday, a civilised afternoon tea (or High Tea) at Llanelly House fitted the bill perfectly.
With 10 of us in attendance, we were fortunate enough to be seated in a beautiful private room away from the main bistro.
Seated around an impressively large table, and surrounded by historic artifacts and impressive decorations. There was a definite feel of class and style about the place.
How much does Afternoon Tea at Llanelly House Cost?
At only £15 per person – and £7.50 for children – the afternoon tea was pretty reasonably priced (we’d say anyway).
Sweet and Savoury Treats
As part of the afternoon tea, we indulged in savoury and sweet treats, alongside unlimited cups of tea and coffee.
Of course, all served in vintage china.
For the savoury side of things, we enjoyed a selection of sandwiches which included cheese, cucumber, smoked salmon and ham. With vegetarian options available.
There were also warm, flaky sausage rolls and miniature cornish pasties – which went down a treat.
Cakes included in the Afternoon Tea
Now, the cakes are generally the highlight of any afternoon tea in our opinion…and on this occasion, they didn’t disappoint.
Armed with plenty of clotted cream and jam, the fresh scones were the first choice of our entire party.
Done the Cornish way of course (jam before cream).
After that, we were treated to two additional stacked cakes.
One was an indulgent light sponge, with a sweet and creamy coffee filling – definitely Tanith’s favourite.
The other was topped with strawberry buttercream and was equally delightful.
It’s safe to say that we were all very full and in need of a nap by the time we’d finished!
We even had a few cakes left which were boxed up for us to take home.
Attentive Staff at Llanelly House
From start to finish we were both thoroughly impressed with the staff at Llanelly House.
As we were tucked away from the main bistro, it could have been easy for us to be forgotten.
This definitely wasn’t the case.
The Perfect Balance
The staff we had on the day were extremely polite and attentive. They struck that right balance between being available to help with anything you needed, but without them feeling intrusive.
As soon as we were all seated and comfortable the food was brought out, with our chosen hot drinks following quickly behind.
Throughout our stay, our waiters checked in on us at regular intervals, refilling drinks and ensuring we were happy with the food.
The Llanelly House Bistro
If you don’t fancy afternoon tea at Llanelly House, it also has an array of other choices available in their bistro.
From breakfast options including a full Welsh or vegan breakfast and eggs benedict to seasonal locally sourced dishes.
There’s bound to be something that tickles your fancy.
Alternatively, you can simply enjoy a quick coffee and a cake before carrying on with your day.
Tours of Llanelly House
If you want to fill more of your day, you can actually book walking tours of Llanelly House, allowing you to explore its rich history.
At present, they run tours only on a Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
The tours begin at 11am and last for approximately 90 minutes.
It is worth bearing in mind that due to the house’s age, the floors are uneven and there are steep stairs to climb.
It will be inaccessible to those with walking struggles.
Throughout the tour you’re guided through the house, learning about the lives of those who called it their home in the 18th century.
How Much do Llanelly House Tours Cost?
Llanelly House tours cost £7 for an adult and £4 for a child (ages 4-12) and our available only by pre-booking.
You can book your tour by visiting the Llanelly House website.
Is Llanelly House Haunted?
Ben was excited to learn that Llanelly House is believed to be haunted.
Inside the historic house come tales of Mira Turner, a 22-year old housemaid who – upon falling pregnant – supposedly took a dose of poison before throwing herself down a set of stairs.
As the source of Llanelly House’s most notable ghost story, there are a number of sighting claims from staff and visitors alike.
But is the house really haunted? Who knows!
Incidentally, you can read all about Ben’s spooky encounter at Quarry Bank Mill earlier this year.
Ghost Tours at Llanelly House
Starting in the darker months, Llanelly House will be holding twilight Ghost Tours conducted by torchlight.
Adding to the experience, the tours are set to start in St. Elli’s Parish Church yard before moving into the house.
Here you’ll learn some of the ghostly tales associated with the former residents and discover more about the sightings and strange happenings.
We can’t guarantee that you’ll see a ghost, but if all things spooky are your thing then this could be one for you.
