History
The Union Hotel dates back to the 17th Century and has featured remarkably in many of the important events of the United Kingdom's History.
During the short-lived invasion of the Spanish in July 1595, the hotel was attacked and set on fire. Marks from the fire are still visible on the walls of the bar today. In 1786/7, a theatre was built in the hotel grounds which is still standing, making it the second oldest theatre building in the country.
At about the same time, the Penzance Assembly Rooms were built in the grounds and the hotel became the centre of life in the town and the venue for public meetings, balls and soirées. It was at one such ball in 1805, that the mayor, Thomas Giddy, announced the great victory at the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson's death. Penzance was the first town in the country to hear this momentous news and the event is commemorated annually with a Trafalgar Ball held in the same assembly rooms - now the hotel dining room.
Our Theatre Bar, patronised by Charles Dickens during his stay at the hotel, is agenuine Victorian Bar featuring an interesting collection of playbills from the hotel's theatre dating back to 1787.
See
these and many moreprints of The Union Hotel
and Chapel Street, in the
Hotel foyer and the Nelson
Bar.
