| The Rock & Fountain Inn | |
|---|---|
| R&F.After.6.(lowres).jpg | |
| General information | |
| Town or city | Penhow |
| Country | Wales |
| Website | |
| rockandfountaininn.co.uk | |
The Rock & Fountain Inn is a public house located in the village of Penhow on the outskirts of Newport, South Wales. It was originally built in the 17th century as a coaching inn on the busy transport route linking Chepstow, Caldicot, Caerwent and Newport.
The Rock & Fountain site was acquired by current owners Newport-based Bolwell & Hayward Ltd from film director Stephen Weekes in 1987. It continued in use as a public house until 2009, when it and the surrounding 5-acre site underwent a £1m renovation and redevelopment. The inn reopened in November 2010 as a steak and seafood restaurant.[1]
The inn was sympathetically restored. Many characteristic features have been preserved including the original wooden bar surface, windows frames and panelling while a new open central fireplace has been added between two areas of the main bar.
The site also contains eight studio and one-bedroom apartments, located in a converted 17th century listed barn – previously occupied by the local blacksmith – and a new building as well as the Indian Cottage restaurant in an old tithe barn.
Plans are underway for the introduction of a new ‘tented village’ at the top of the site, which will provide additional event space.
The village of Penhow also boasts Penhow Castle – arguably the oldest inhabited castle in Wales – and the Church of John the Baptist, which dates back to the 13th Century.