Ye Olde White Horse, Spalding. Summary

Well, It's been a while since our last post and I'll explain why later. But first, our final thoughts on Ye Olde White Horse.

 It was fantastic!! What a refreshing change to find a pub, and a busy pub at that, which isn't full of one-armed bandits, quiz machines, televisions and a jukebox, and no piped music. There are no gimmicks,.... just people,.... talking,.... without shouting,.... over crappy music.... or the telly,.... It's brilliant! Why aren't there more pubs like this? Proper traditional pubs? It's the first Sam Smiths house I've been in but it certainly won't be the last (I've found out that there's one about 6 or 7 miles away, I'm gonna try it out and see how it compares).

On top of that the people were great too. Everyone we met was nice and seemed genuinely interested in what we were doing. I wish it was my local. I wouldn't have to be trying to build my own in the garden.

Couldn't agree more, brilliant pub, brilliant atmosphere, and if it was our local, I'd defo want to go pub more often. Problem is, if I'm brutally honest, 3 of my locals are good drinking pubs (one has the now obligatory dining room, but it is separate from the bar) and I don't go that often. Thing is, the minute we entered the pub, it felt welcoming. It was a good place to be. a real highlight in our ongoing adventure. This, of course, is testament to the staff and patrons of Ye Olde White Horse. 

Here's hoping our next pub is just as good....

So, our thanks to Sam, Martin, Terri, Squeak and all the people we met. We had a great time and, with the visit to Stamford on the way there, it was one of the best trips we've made so far.

Now, I've recently found out that I have to go into hospital for a hip replacement (been struggling a bit and this little project has kinda took a back seat). Not sure when. I'm waiting for a date. We hope to pull another trip in before the surgery but then I'll be laid up for a couple of months so please bear with us. We did get one of the locals at Spalding, Ray, to pick our next pub to visit but whether we will get to that one next, we're not sure (because of it's location, we plan on camping, so we are at the mercy of the good old British summer). If we have to, we can go to one really local to us (about 30 miles) but we were saving that one for when we are skint!! As soon as we decide, we'll let you know.

Anyway, more from us soon, Cheers

Postscript

I was on the verge, almost, of publishing this episode of our blog when I received an e-mail from a reader, Dale Ingram. Dale is an architectural historian who specialises in pubs and she discovered a book, entitled;

NOTICES

OF

REMARKABLE EVENTS

AND

CURIOUS FACTS,

WITH

VARIOUS AND INTERESTING SCRAPS,

CONNECTED WITH

THE HISTORY

AND

ANTIQUITIES OF SPALDING,

IN THE COUNTY OF LINCOLN,

 AND THE PLACES ADJACENT

                                                          

COLLECTED AND TREASURED IN MEMORY

BY

"OLD ROBIN HARMSTONE"

Now, there's a mouthful. I wouldn't have thought this got checked out of the library very often, nobody could remember the bloody title!

Anyway, today  you can read this book (for free) on Googlebooks and on page 33 you will find the following passage:-

In the Abbey-yard formerly stood a large brewery, occupied by Mr. George Burrell, on ground where a large granary is erected, and where the Hearse and Mourning Coach stands; near to it stood a public house, called the Elephant and Castle, kept by Mr. Bennett; but both have been pulled down long since.

I know there still is a place called Abbey Yard but I'd be very surprised if it's the same place. This book was published in 1846 and if the Elephant and Castle was "pulled down long since" that would mean possibly late 1700s or early 1800s, which would tie in nicely with the transportation to the colonies of the unfortunate woman in the story. And, can anyone tell me what the "Hearse and Mourning Coach" was? Was it another (oddly named) pub? If not, what could it have been?

Hi, still me. I thought I'd better expand on our "excuses" for not posting for ages. 
Well, I've had my operation. Got a nice new shiny hip (still bloody painful yet). 
My date came through quicker than I expected so we didn't have time to arrange anything before my op. We then planned to go somewhere about a month ago but, as I couldn't drive for 6 weeks, we were depending on someone else to drive (as we were taking two cars to accommodate all the family) but they had to pull out at the last moment. So we had to cancel that. On top of that my son was made redundant from his job, so he faced some uncertainty, but he's sorted out now with an even better position, so as soon as we can make arrangements we will get moving again. 

Hope I'm not boring you but I didn't want you to think we were losing interest.

So, hopefully we'll have some news soon, Cheers!!