FAQs

How Old is the Waterdine?

The building was constructed in the mid 1600s it is a Welsh long house by design and was originally built as a Drovers Inn to service travellers on the ancient drovers road. During the medieval period this ancient trade grew and there was a substantial trade in cattle out of Wales into England. As well as cattle, sheep, geese and pigs had to walk. The geese were first driven through tar and sand to protect their feet on the hard roads. Pigs, probably not covering such long distances, wore knitted woollen socks with leather soles.

Are We in England or Wales

Although the name is Welsh descriptive, Llanfair Waterdine is in England, the border is the river Teme at this point. The Waterdine sits right on the border, with the river being the border for the property as well as the county of Shropshire and also England. Offers Dyke used to be considered the border between England and Wales, but the Welsh borders were set by the English parliament’s Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542. Interestingly the first of the acts 1535 was passed by an English parliament with no Welsh representatives. Wales was first incorporated into England by King Edward 1 in the Statute of Rhuddlan 1284 after the conquest of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd in 1282.

How Long have we lived at the Waterdine?

We moved into the Red Lion Llanfair Waterdine in May 2000, as there are very many Red Lions in the vicinity we decided to call the place the Waterdine.

Why did we move up here

We were looking for a property that we could turn into a restaurant with rooms and fell in love with the warm welcoming atmosphere of the place and the tranquil situation as soon as we saw it, after that there was really no other consideration.  

Don`t we find it too quiet

Not in the least, running a business, maintaining and improving the property is a full time occupation, we have little time to get bored, not that we would in any case because both of us love the countryside and would feel confined if we had to live in a town, Horses for courses.     

Where do our customers come from

From all over, we have many visitors from Ludlow Knighton, Kington, Shrewsbury and Hereford and all the surrounding villages. House guests visit from all over, not only Britian but Europe America Canada, Australia; New Zeeland the whole world at times beats a path to our door.