Constructed during the late 1870's of local slate & sandstone, Oakmere was originally known as Plas-yn-Llan which is Welsh for "Mansion of the Enclosure".  The "Enclosure" (Llan) in old Welsh refers to a settlement within the perimeter of the Church land,  although in modern times the word "Llan" is often used for church.

Hence Llangollen was originally the settlement within the enclosure of the hermit cell and tiny church of the 7th century founder; Saint Collen.

The house was built for the Baker family who owned the Sun Brewery in Llangollen.  The 1881 census shows that Plas-yn-Llan was occupied by Martha E Baker, a 48 year old widow and head of the house, together with her son Robert (aged 17), twins Patty & Emma (12) and Martha's youngest daughter Edith (9).Living with them was Martha's younger sister Maria, a 25 year old governess called Annie Yeoward and two servants, Mary & Sara-Jane.The house was originally built with 13 fireplaces, a 14th being built with a new kitchen at the end of the 19th Century. 

Earlier evidence of the Baker family's link with the Sun Brewery was discovered whilst digging the foundations for the new tennis court in the form of beer bottles.
The bottles are date stamped 1738 and are on display in the dining room together with two early stoneware beer flagon.                           

The pump (shown right and now restored & displayed in the car park) was originally mounted in the cellar.  Servants would draw water from the brick lined & spring fed well in the cellar and pump it up to a lead lined faucet on the second floor.  The tank, believed to have been removed during past building work, was discovered still in situ in 1999.  It sits between the first and second floors behind a "false" ceiling and is too large and heavy to remove now. The original washing mangle now stands outside by the front door.

During the 1920's, Plas-yn-Llan became a private Hotel under  a proprietress called Miss M. E. Johnson (Late of the Royal Hotel, Llangollen - as the brochure proudly stated).

To the left is a souvenir postcard from the Plas-yn-Llan Hotel, taken from the old lawn tennis court.  The front of the house is now fully covered with ivy and the original Victorian glass conservatory can be seen.  To the rear of the house are trees and fields (all the existing surrounding buildings being recent additions). 

When the Hotel ceased trading, Plas-yn Llan became a private residence again.  Towards the end of the 1980's the grounds were divided and a new red brick house was built upon the old lawn tennis court by it's former owner.  The name "Plas-yn-Llan" was transferred to the new house and the old house became Oakmere.

During the early 1990's a new tennis court was added (removed in 2005) and the gardens were landscaped.  The Victorian conservatory was demolished and the existing one was constructed using windows and timber, salvaged from a nearby Chapel.  In fact the timbers underneath the windows are inverted Chapel pews.  Stained glass from the Chapel is also to be found inside the house on the first floor landing.