The Blue Anchor

Hidden away along the old Glamorgan coastal road from Rhoose Village within the hamlet of East Aberthaw is the picturesque Blue Anchor pub. The Blue Anchor is reputedly named from the blue hued mud present in the locality which would cling to the anchors of moored vessels. With its thatched roof, small windows, crooked interior and open fires, the Blue Anchor personifies a rural British pub of popular imagination.

The Blue Anchor is well renowned for its good selection of ales, winning awards such as the Daily Telegraph Cask Ale Pub of the Year 2008, the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2018, the Which Good Pub Guide 2017, as well as winning the south Wales Food Pub of the Year accolade numerous times.

                                        (Photo of the Blue Anchor taken in the early 1960's)

Although it is suggested the Blue Anchor has been established as a hostelry since 1380, there is no sound historical basis for this claim. The building that is now the Blue Anchor was indeed constructed sometime during the fourteenth century but built as a farmhouse and was associated with a form of late medieval manorial copyhold land tenure. Connected with this farm building was a substantial sixty two acres of farmland. This building continued to be used as a functioning farmhouse into the seventeenth century where a yeoman farmer named Jenkin Spencer occupied the house, eventually dying there in 1647 leaving a considerable estate.

The farmhouse was enlarged during the eighteenth century and it is most likely around this point it became the Blue Anchor pub, no doubt becoming a popular stop-off point for the sailors and merchants who would have frequented the area. The Blue Anchor would also have been a popular place for members of the rural working community with many men frequenting the Blue Anchor after a hard day's work in the fields.

For a long time there has been a port at Aberthaw. It is likely the Romans once used this area as a point of crossing from the West Country to facilitate their commerce. During the medieval period the small port of Aberthaw was a part of the Lord of Glamorgan's demesne manor of Llantwit major - it is mentioned in a Ministers Account for the year 1316 where the income from its tolls were modest. During the Tudor period the port of Aberthaw fell under the control of Sir Edward Stradling of St Donats.

                                                       (View of Aberthaw village c 1938)

Throughout the eighteenth century, Aberthaw was a smuggling hot spot and it is almost certain that the Blue Anchor would have been mute witness to many acts of smuggling which were endemic along the Glamorgan coast during this time.  It's likely that the smugglers themselves frequented the Blue Anchor, perhaps even working with the publican to conceal contraband from the authorities.

In 1732, customs officials from the Port of Cardiff wrote to London to advise that smuggling activity had increased along the Glamorgan coast, particularly at Barry and Aberthaw. In 1735 there is an account of a large seizure of rum at Aberthaw. The accounts describe two men observed returning suspiciously from a ship anchored here; the men were quite drunk.  When confronted the drunken men, Thomas Sweet and Richard Forest, proceeded to taunt the customs official saying that, 'they had a mind to have a little fun with them,' intimating that they had hidden smuggled brandy on board their vessel. The men were caught red handed that very night unloading barrels of brandy under the moonlight: the smugglers attempted to escape on horseback across open countryside but were quickly apprehended

(Early twentieth century view of the Blue Anchor and Aberthaw village)

The Blue Anchor caught fire in 2004 which destroyed its ancient roof beams and thatched roof, but was thankfully put out before it could engulf the rest of the building. The roof was restored not long after the fire and the Blue Anchor remains a popular destination and the perfect retreat from busy modern life.

Mark and Jonathan Lambert are archaeology graduates of Cardiff University and are published authors. They have been writing about and researching local history for the past 20 years and have a wealth of knowledge. All articles are original compositions - we hope you enjoy our content. Enquiries: hiddenglamorgan@outlook.com

©Jonathan and Mark Lambert 2018

The right of Jonathan and Mark Lambert to be identified as Authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted, reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic means, including social media, or mechanical, or by any other means including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the authors.