MAWR PLATE

A large merchant house dating from 1577, topped by a tower from which you can see the whole town. This is one of the finest and rarest examples of Elizabethan urban housing.

Inside, the decoration is extremely meticulous. The period furnishings are full of surprises, including a bread-and-cheese cabinet that doubled as a closet for punished children. The fireplaces, whose lintels are carved with symbols of the English monarchy: the letters E and R for "Elizabeth Regina", or the portcullis, emblem of the British Parliament.