The Smallest House In Great Britain In Conwy, Wales
The Smallest House in Great Britain dates from the 16th century and can be found in Conwy, North Wales.
As a Guinness Book of World Records holder, the property stands at just 122 inches tall and 72 inches wide, with just 1.5m squared of usable floor space.
The minuscule home was built in the 16th century and remained in use until 1900, when the tenant was a 6-foot tall fisherman, named Robert Jones.
The rooms were too small for him to stand up in fully and he was eventually forced to move out when the council declared the house unfit for human habitation, along with a number of properties.
The house, which welcomes over 55,000 visitors each year, contains just two rooms – one upstairs and one downstairs.
There's just enough space for a fireplace, single bed, and a basin (there's no toilet).
The first floor is devoted to the living area and the upstairs holds the cramped bedroom, which also comes with a small niche for storage.
All the cooking, washing and toilet activities would have been performed outside.
The house was originally built as an infill property within a medieval row of cottages.
Two rows of cottages had been built on the quay, each row starting from the town wall towers at the extremes of Lower Gate Street.
Because both rows of cottages were built up to the central tower, they didn't quite meet and there was a gap left between them.
With the passage of time and a shortage of housing in the town, an enterprising builder realised that, with the side walls and back already in place, all that was needed to create another house was a front wall and a roof and so the Smallest House came into being.
For many years, the Smallest House has been called home by a number of different people since the 16th century.
However, in 1900, the inspector from the Corporation declared Smalls and the other cottages built to the left of it unfit for habitation and all the tenants had to leave.
The house became in danger of being demolished.
Having only bought the property in 1891, the owner (Robert) was dismayed at the loss of the rental income from Smalls and bemoaned his loss to his friends.
One of his friends, Roger Dawson, was the editor of the North Wales Weekly News, and he spotted its potential.
Roger persuaded Robert to tour the country with him to measure small houses in order to be able to declare the house The Smallest House in Great Britain and save it from demolition.
Other contenders were measured but none was found to be smaller than this house in Conwy.
The Guinness Book of Records officially confirmed Smalls' status as the Smallest House in Great Britain in the early 1920s.
The house has remained in the ownership of Robert Jones' family ever since and is currently owned by his great, great granddaughter.
Today, the house still stands and is open to visitors.
Tourists are welcome to briefly explore the little home, and are usually welcomed by a woman in traditional Welsh garb.
They can explore the first floor, but the second floor has become too unstable, although guests can still peek their heads into the still-furnished bedroom.
Entry is just £1.50 for adults and £1 for kids.
According to members of staff who now offer tours, during peak season dozens of visitors from as far afield as America, Japan and Australia line up to get a glimpse of this quirky dwelling.
Someone who recently visited the house said: “Amazing to think that a family once lived in here! The lady at the entrance was very friendly and informative, and you were not rushed to be in and out.
”You climb the ladder to see the bedroom but can't actually go into the upstairs room. A must see in Conwy.”
Another person added: “What made the visit interesting was the excellent brief history of the house and its prior occupants, given by the guide working at the house and letting people in.
”They were very knowledgeable and offered interesting facts on how the house came to be built, who lived here, and why it's survived to this day.”
Once you visit, you’ll wonder how anyone could live in such a small space.
It might make you appreciate your own home more, or it might make you think you could live with less space.
The house is slated in Conway, located in North Wales, a town known for its well-preserved medieval walls and castle, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Built by Edward I between 1283 and 1289 as part of his conquest of Wales, Conwy Castle is one of the most impressive medieval fortifications in Europe.
It was strategically placed to control the Welsh population and oversee the town and harbour - and it’s well worth a visit.
The town is surrounded by almost complete town walls, built between 1283 and 1287, which are also attributed to Edward I's military architect, James of St. George.
The walls stretch over three-quarters of a mile and are one of the finest examples of medieval fortifications in Britain.
Conwy attracts many tourists due to its rich history, well-preserved medieval architecture, and scenic location.
If you’d like to visit the Smallest House, the address is: 10 Lower Gate St, Conwy LL32 8BE.
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