The Sycamore Tree Inn is more than just a family-run pub – it’s a living part of Colwinston’s history. Steeped in centuries of stories, the inn has seen generations come and go, quietly witnessing the moments that have shaped our village and its people.

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Running the pub in the same village where my family’s roots stretch back to the late 1800s fills me with immense pride. My great-grandparents lived here and are laid to rest in the church, my grandparents also called Colwinston home, and my mum grew up in the village. To now be the custodian of the local pub – a place where my late grandparents once helped out – feels incredibly special.

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We’re truly a traditional, family-run pub. My dad is my main cellar man and helps behind the bar (though he prefers the title Senior Landlord), while my mum works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. It really is a proper family affair.

This village holds a huge place in my heart, and being part of its past, present, and future through the Sycamore Tree Inn is something I’m incredibly proud of.

History of the Sycamore Tree Inn The first written records of a premises with the name Sycamore Tree Inn, Colwinston comes from the ‘Alehouse Recognisance’ record (early public house licences) of 1827 and we have records of most of the owners and licensees from then on.

 

However, the architecture of the original building (the current lounge area) suggests this part was built in the 17th century. Due to the level of literacy in the past, pubs were usually identified by a sign of some kind. The earliest available record of a licence for an ‘Alehouse’ in Colwinston was granted in 1753 to Griffith Rees but the ‘sign name’ is not recorded. Intriguingly, in 1759 the alehouse in Colwinston, then run by an Elizabeth Morgan, was listed ‘under the sign of’ the ‘Holy Bush’.

 

It is widely recognised that the Sycamore Tree we now know of in Europe is not the same as that called the Sycamore Tree in the bible, the biblical tree resembled a ficus/fig based tree. However the Greek word for the tree (ficus sycomoros) led to this being translated in the English (and Welsh) bibles as the ‘Sycamore Tree’. Was there a Sycamore Tree outside the current building which was linked by its name to the biblical ‘fig’ tree, or was the location of the pub next to the church influencing the use of the term ‘holy bush’?

 

Colwinston village itself is also classified as a “Thankful Village” (there are only 51 of these in the country). This is where the village had 23 men involved in the First World War who all returned safely. Unfortunately, the old records cannot tell us any more but we believe the Sycamore Tree Inn has been part of the community since at least 1753, and our aim is to continue this tradition far into the future.