Old Hand and Diamond Coaching Inn

A traditional 17th-century coaching inn on the Welsh border

The Old Hand and Diamond Inn at Coedway is a characterful country inn with roots stretching back to the 17th century, when it provided refreshment and a bed for travellers crossing between mid-Wales and Shropshire. Today it offers seven en-suite bedrooms above a welcoming bar and restaurant — a friendly, traditional place to eat, drink and stay, ideally placed for exploring the rolling countryside of the Welsh borders.

Rooms, bar and restaurant

The inn has seven en-suite bedrooms in traditional country style, on the first and second floors, including doubles and family rooms that sleep up to five. Downstairs, the heart of the inn is its bar with an inglenook fireplace and a large open fire lit through the winter months, pouring a good range of beers including at least three traditional ales, often locally brewed. The restaurant seats up to a hundred and serves lunch and evening menus built around locally sourced produce, from pub classics to pizzas. Food is served daily, with longer hours at the weekend.

A welcoming, dog-friendly base

This is an unpretentious, genuinely welcoming inn rather than a polished hotel — the kind of place where the fire is lit, the ale is local and the welcome is warm. It is dog-friendly, so the family pet is welcome, there is a large car park, and a beer garden with a sunny patio for fine evenings. It makes a relaxed, good-value base for a few nights touring the borders.

At a glance

• Seven en-suite bedrooms, including family rooms for up to five
• Bar with inglenook fireplace and a large open fire in winter
• 100-seat restaurant; locally sourced menus and local ales
• Dog-friendly; large car park; beer garden with patio
• A traditional 17th-century border coaching inn
• At Coedway, near Welshpool on the Shropshire border

Coedway and the Welsh borders

Coedway is a small village on the River Severn close to the Shropshire border, well placed between Welshpool and Shrewsbury in classic green, rolling border country. From here the market town of Welshpool, with its canal, the Powysland Museum and the narrow-gauge Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway, is a short drive, and the magnificent National Trust mansion and terraced gardens of Powis Castle are close by. For more places to stay in the area, see our guide to accommodation in Welshpool.

Days out from the inn

This quiet corner of the borders rewards unhurried exploring. Powis Castle and its world-famous gardens are the headline attraction, but there is also the tiny, perfectly preserved town of Montgomery with its ruined castle, the Offa’s Dyke Path along the ancient frontier, and the antique shops and walks of the wider Severn Valley. Shrewsbury, the handsome medieval county town of Shropshire, is an easy trip across the border for shopping and history, while the Long Mynd and the Shropshire Hills offer bigger walking days. After a day out, the inn’s fire and a pint of local ale are a fine way to round things off.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many rooms are there? Seven en-suite bedrooms, including family rooms for up to five.

Is there food on site? Yes — a bar and a 100-seat restaurant serving locally sourced menus and local ales.

Are dogs welcome? Yes, the inn is dog-friendly.

Is there parking? Yes, a large car park.

What’s nearby? Welshpool, Powis Castle, Montgomery and Shrewsbury.

Who it suits

The Old Hand and Diamond suits walkers, touring couples and anyone who values a genuine country welcome over a chain hotel. With its open fire, local ales and hearty, locally sourced food, it is as much a destination for a good evening as a place to lay your head, and the family rooms make it practical for families too. Dog owners are well catered for, and the quiet border setting means peaceful nights — yet Welshpool, Shrewsbury and the castles and hills of the borders are all within an easy drive for a full day out.

Book your mid-Wales stay

For a characterful, welcoming country inn on the Welsh border, check availability and reserve your room at The Old Hand and Diamond Inn using the booking options on this page.