Greendown Inn, St George's-super-Ely

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Greendown Inn, St George's-super-Ely, Drope Road, Vale of Glamorgan, CF5 6EP

Open 12-2 (not Monday or Tuesday), 6-11; 12-11 Saturday and Sunday

Situated close to the Westerly suburbs of Cardiff, the Greendown Inn is set in an idyllic village setting in the Vale of Glamorgan, not to far away from the local church of St George-super-Ely. The inn is set in its own grounds with a large car park at the rear.

The Greendown Inn has been extended over the years but still remains single-story and claims to date back to the fifteenth century although the date of 1620 also appears in one of the rooms. Whatever is the date for the building of this Inn it is genuinely old as shown by the blackened beams supporting the low ceiling in one room and an unusual fireplace with a curved wooden beam above it in another. The Greendown Inn was solidly built from rough-hewn local stone and the bare stone walls have borne witness to many passing centuries. There is a choice of drinking and dining areas, decorated with old paintings and chalkboards.

The centrally-placed bar is surrounded by bricks laid into the floor and features an unusual wooden pillar on one corner with the handpumps all on the restaurant side of the Inn. Three handpumps dispense a regular changing guest beer from breweries such as Wickwar, Wye Valley or a Welsh brewery together with a real cider and, more unusually a real perry. Recently ciders have included Bristol Port from the Broadoak Cider Company in Somerset and their award-winning perry as well. The prices are very reasonable with £2 a pint for the beers and ciders. The beer and ciders available are chalked up on a board that hangs on the large chimney breast.

Despite being in a small village, the Greendown Inn is popular with all and the community focus of the pub is shown by the books for sale on the bar and in a small section off the low-ceilinged room, the proceeds of the book sales go towards the restoration fund of the nearby church of St George. Regular events are held at the pub, including a steam rally in the grounds recently. The pub also hosts a weekly quiz night on Saturday nights. There is also a dartboard to one side of the bar as well as a separate restaurant area. The menu is extensive with daily specials being advertised on chalkboards mounted on the exposed stone walls. The Greendown Inn also offers accommodation.