TH EI @H N The Campaign for Real Ale

JUNE1986 CIRCULATION5OOO NUMBER94 REALROYSTON Are we now seeinga turn of the promisedtide of theme pubs,fun pubs and disco pubs?Whitbread has announcedthat fC-0,000is to be spent in transformingthe Green Man on MarketHill in Roystonfrom a discopub, at which trouble hasflaied on severaloccasions, "back into a traditionalmarket town pub with more iamily trade". lt is to be hopedthat the internalrennovation will be in keepingwith this eighteenth centurybuiiOing which, fortunately,has not been much alteredexternally. And of courseit is to be hoped that handpump!will be installedto dispensetraditional ales from the Whitbreadrange When the pub re-opensin July. Up until now, the GreenMan has beenthe only one of Whitbread'sfour pubs in Roystonnot to haveany realale. The three free houses,the Coachand Horses,the BullHotel andthe Chequersall sell realale. This only leavesthe two localregional brewers' houses in the town with no realale: GreeneKing's Boars Head and McMullen'sBanyers Xotet. With three major socialclubs in Roystonoffering real ale and the town surroundedby villagepubs selling real ale, this is a littlesurprising. J.F.F.

THEBARLEY MOW d N' ffiJq rrgtl0 street otDberttorD

NowundernewownerchlP TYTTENHANGERGREEN MUestse/e ction of rea/a/es wE- -- HAVETHE ]ARGE-Sr-S-E-L-E9.T.!ONOF in Herttordwih manYguestbeets REALALES IN allserued on gravtty We alsoPride ourselves thattheY areall in the bestof condition. OutsideBarbecue now in full swing. targeoPenlogflrc Why nottry our menuof hot and coldmeals at lunchtimeand barsnacks in the evening' ChildrensPony rides atWeekends' HomecoofeO iood at all times Sundaylunch a sPecialitY PLEASENOTE NO COACHES INCLUDINGMINIBUSES TIEDHOUSES IN AND AROUND HERTFORDSHIRE

PartOne pleasurein drinkinga beerin its own Thesedays there is a vast rangeof beersavailable in Hertfordshirefreehouses, butthere is alwaysa certain Hook Nortonbeers more in one of tied house,surrounded by the trappingsof that bre*"ry's particularstyle. For example, I alwaysenioy drinking Nowthatthebetterweatheris theirpubsthaninafreehousebecaus6theirtiedhouseshavesomuctrcharacter,andthebeerissomuchcheaper! tied housesare within thirty miles of with us and day trips areworthwhile, I thought it would be interestingto see how many differentbreweries ,excludingthosealreadywithintheto*:n(".gBenskinsandABC) andLondon.onlythosesellingrealalearelistedofcourse.

Brewery Distance Pub nameandlocation (near Wethered 4 miles FullMoon, Hawridge, Bucks. Chesham) (near CharlesWells 6 miles Stag,Mentmore, Bucks. LeightonBuzzard) (near Whitbread 6 miles Swan, Northall,Bucks. LeightonBuzzardl (near McMullen 7 miles WhiteHorse,Bourne End HemelHempstead) Fullers 7 miles Aristocrat, AYlesbury Truman 7 miles King'sArms,Chesham Charrington 7 miles RedLion,Chesham Scottish& Newcastle 8 miles HeathPark,Boxmoor (near Banks& Taylor 8 miles Crown &Sceptre,Bridens Camp HemelHempstead) Manns 8 Miles Dove,Wing, Bucks. Morland 10miles WhiteleafCross, Princes Risborough, Bucks. GreeneKing 12miles WhiteH orse. Morrells 13miles King'sHead,Chinnor, Oxon. (near Princes Risborough) Brakspear 15miles ShoulderofMutton, KingstonBlount, Oxon (near Halls 15miles Angel.Long Crendon, Bucks. Thames) TollyCobbold 16miles SpeedthePlough. Barton-le-Clay, Beds. (off Usher 17miles Swan, GrendonUnderwood, Bucks. ,A41) (near Wadworth 22miles Star.Stanton St. John, Oxon. Oxford) HookNorton 25miles PeytonArms,Stoke LYne, Oxon. (near Gales 26miles Fox,Cane End, Oxon. HenleY) (near FriaryMeux 27miles Pineapple,Dorney, Bucks. Slough) JamesPaine 28miles Newlnn,Sandv, Beds. Rayment 29miles WhiteHorse, Young 0 miles Crown,ChertseY, SurreY. (PartTwo : within30 milesof Royston) Adrian Jolliffe

HERTFORDSHIREINNS - New Edition HertfordshirePublications are preparing for publication a new edition of HertfordshireInns by the late W. BranchJohnson, first oublishedin two volumesin 1962-63. Preparationis expectedto take at least two years. lt will not be possibleto repeatthe pioneeringresearch undertaken by Branch Johnsonfor the originaledition, but a greatdeal of new information hassince come to light andthe publishers are a nxious to achievethe most accurateand comprehensiverevision possible. For this they will be heavily dependent upon local knowledge and the cooperationis beingsought of museums,local history societies and manylocal historians throughout the county. BranchJohnson's work containedbrief historicalnotes about inns, tavernsand beer houseswhich had been in existencebefore 1860 and were still licensedin 1960,together with a few later houses which had specialpoints of interest.lt is intendedto use the same criteria,but sincetime hasmoved on,a good numberof housesfirst licensedbetween 1860 and 1900,and severalof later date,will be includedamong thoseof specialinterest. Information about houses which no longerexist as licensedpremises will also be considered for inclusion if they are of sufficient interest or importance, regardlessof theirearliest known dates. Can you assistwith the first stage of this project?The publishers would liketo hearfrom you if you can corrector up-dateentries in thefirst edition of the book,or if you couldsuggest additional houses which might be worthy of inclusion.ln addition to dates,former namesof the houseand namesof ownersand licencees,details of historicalassociations and anv anecdotesor storiesassociated with the premisesare required, with quotationsand sourcesif possible. Pleasewrite directlvto: Arthur Jones Hon. Editor,Hertf ordshire Publications. FiveHouse Cottages, Sandon Road, ,Royston, Herts. SG8 9RE It would be appreciatedit you couldwrite by the end of June,at least to indicateyour interest;detailed information can follow laterin the vear. DICKENSAND PUBOFTHE MONTH PUBS. North Herts Earlyone sunny morning in mid-June186'1, a strangerwalked from Axe& Compasses, House to Stevenagefor breakfastat one of the High TheAxeand Compasses,in the picture-bookvillage of Braughing, Streetpubs. The travellerwas CharlesDickens and the hostelryhe famousfor itssausages, is a gradetwo listedbuilding. County stopped at was the Red Lion' Dickens was passing through recordsstate that the buildingdates form the early1800s but some Stevenageon his way to visit JamesLucas the famoushermit of beamsin the bedroomshave been dated to around 1400and have RedcoatiGreen, (commemorated in the name of the Hermit of obviouslybeen reused. lt was heldby oneSarah Lawrence in 1806as Redcoatspub at Titmore Green).The meetingbetween Dickens and 'Tom a publichouse. Lucas provided the basis for the story of Tiddler's Ground' In recenttimes the Axe and Compasseshas been renovated publishedin the magazine'Allthe YearRound'at Christmas 1861. internally. up the smallrooms inside, leaving part story describesin detailthe passageof Dickens opening but still a The early ofthe 'Traveller' separate,traditional public bar. There are plans to extendthe throughStevenage, Dickens taking the personaof the in 'Peal buildingthis summer. thestory, and the Red Lion renamed as the of Bells'. Mealsare available in theAxe and Compasseslunchtimes (except The Red Lion was (and is) one of the oldest licensedhouses in Sundays)and everyevening, including Sundays in the cricket Stevenage,being recorded as early as 1676,before which time it was season.Barbecues are held on summerweekends.There is a close knownas the Hollybush. An alehouserather than a coachinginn, the associationwith the villagecricket club during the summer months; RedLion was to takea beeronly licencein the 1870s,although in the cricketfield is behindthe pub andthere is directaccess to the 1861 it enjoyeda full licence.Possibly because of the time of day-this beergarden. was in the era of liberal opening hours-Dickensresisted the Wethered'sBitter and SamuelWhitbread's Strong Ale arealways temptationof SimpsonsBest Stout, the only draught beer sold on 'chops availableon two of the threehandpumps, the third beingoccupied in the premisesat thetime, and had andtea'. Perhaps if he had turn by otherbeers from the Whitbreadrange. Come along on the indulged in a little alcoholicfortification, his descriptionsof eveningof June26th to samplethe alesand for a welcomefrom Tom Stevenageand the hermitwhom he scornfullytagged Mr. Mopes, and HelenCousins. Take the southerntu rningfrom the B 1368if you would have been lessscathing. As it was, his pictureof Stevenage 'wide wish to avoidthe ford andyou willfind theAxe &Compassesatthe HighStreet as for its height,silent for its sizeand drowsy in the farend ofThe Street. dullestdegree' has remained, reinforcing the erroneousimpression J.F.F. thatafter the openingof the railwayand the endof thecoaching era Stevenagestagnated until the arrival of the New Town. The Red South Herts 'little Lion. with its sanded parlour' (the presentpublic bar) is 'humble', TheWoodman, Wildhill describedas and indeedtrade was quietcompared with TheWoodmanWildhill has beenone of my favouritepubs in South someof the largerand more moderndrinking places in Stevenage. Hertsfor manyyears and I was pleasedwhen it was voted Pubof the Survivingbrewery records show that the RedLion sold lessdraught Month by the rest of my campaigningcolleagues. The pub won beer.thanany other Simpsonshouse in Stevenage,and George againststiff opposition and is a true locals'local. In manyways it is Gayler,thelandlord in 1861,wasa saddleraswellasa publican the pub that time forgot,one of the lastpu bs in Hertfordshire to have Havingleft the RedLion, Dickens qalked up the High Street,past the a "Tap Room".The beerGreene King Abbott and LP.A.is alwaysin White Lion,formerly the most importantcoaching inn in Stevenage, excellentcondition and a basic wholesome menu is provided andpossibly the oldest surviving licensed house with recordsgoing lunchtimes.All thisand the cheapest beer prices in a ten mileradius backto 1653.His description of the inn was hardlycomplimentary, (if not further)have put the pub in the G.B.G.without hesitation. remarkingon the apparent'barenessof the obsoleteInn and Inn Although a little bit out of the way it is well worth finding winter or Yard'.The White Lion in the 1860shoused the local exciseoffice, summeralike. As a friendonce said to me its the placewhere the where the keeoersof beerhouseswould purchasetheir annual 'Excise 'not Dustmenchat to the Doctors. licencesto sell beer.Noting the description Office', yet 'indicating Congratulationsto Daveand Ann notonly for a pleasantevening on fadedout from the gateway',Dickens saw this as the very the 25th Marchbut for runningthe sort of pub that makesevery visit lastthing that povertycould get rid of'. With that, Dickensdeparted a pleasure. for RedcoatsGreen. Steve Bury The Red Lion. for all its rusticity, must have met with Dickens approval,as atthe end ofthe day (andofthe story),he returnedfor supper,along with a tinkerwho hadalso spent the day at Redcoats Green.Hopefully this time he tried the beer ! Whenitcomesto The RedLion and the White Lion are by no meansthe only licensed housesin Stevenagewith Dickensianconnections. At the south end of Stevenage,just beforethe Six Hills,stood three housesbuilt by GountryBest- the Guildof Literatureand Arts.This was a charityformed by Bulwer Lvtton and Dickens to help impecunious writers and artists. Originallya communityof artistswas to be setup in the groundsof KnebworthHouse, but the three houses in LondonRoad, were built DlcDlullendeliuer instead.Thev were under constructionat the time of the visit of ln 1827Peter McMullen founded his breweryin Dickensin 1861but were not formallydedicated until July 1865.In .Todayit isstillvery much a familybusiness' 1864 a pub had been opened almost opposite these literary time-provenmethods of ernployingtraditional lt was called'OurMutual Friend'after Dickens's current handeddown through each almshouses. brewinq. namethan that of anearlier novel . eeneration.Because McMullen firmly believe novel,a moresuitably welcoming l' whenitcomestofinecask- dedicatedto theGuild of Literatureand Arts'Bleak House'. Leased to conditioned ales and greal Fordhams,the Mutual Friendlong outlastedthe Guild of Literature ' ') . lagersthey do things and Arts whose houseswere sold in 1897,after the trusteeshad failedto find any writersor artistswilling to submitto charity.Our Mutual Friend profitedfrom the boom in cycling at the end of the nineteenthcentury, and laterfrom the generalincrease in trafficon theA1, finally closing in 1963.After a briefspell as a BritishRailways socialclub,the buildingwas demolished, but a newpub of the same name had been built in BroadwaterCrescent which of course remainstoday. The most recent reminder of the Dickensianassociations of Stevenageis the Tom TiddlersTavern in FileyClose. Named after the storybased on hermitLucas, this estate pub was builtalong with the developmentof theSymonds Green area. HughMadgin.

PLANNINGNEWS Amongst recentsubmissions to North HertfordshireDistrict Council was an applicationfor listedbuilding consent for a two storeyside and rear extensionto the Fox & Hounds,High Street,Barley. This tnfieritoiIrt ir. since1827 wouldallow an increasein the existing bar area. BRANCHDIARY 1stJune Ware: BreweryTap,8p.m. 8o.m.Leon RosselsonHosselsonat Wareware FolkFolK HERTFORDSHIRENORTH BRANCH Club. HoddesdonFolk Thursday5th June 6thJune Stanstead Abbotts: Crown. Singaround at Pubof the Yearsocialatthe Maiden's Head, Whitwell, Sp.m. Club. Thursday19th June 7th June Royston: North Star. Action Aid: Barbecue,Live Bands, Branchmeeting at the Crown, , 8p.m. Gamesand Stalls, 2p.m.-1 1.30p.m. Thursday26th June 8th J une Ware: B rewery Tap, 8p' m. Singaround at Ware Folk Club' Pubof theMonth social at the Axe & Compasses,Braughing, Sp.m. 13th June Stanstead Abbotts: Crown. Pete Castle at HoddesdonFol k Thursday3rd July Club. Anti-socialin - meet8p.m. sharp at the Rose & Crown 15thJune Ware: BreweryTap,8p m. EllieEllis and SarahGrey at Contact PeterClarke a Stevenage65957 WareFolk Club. 20th June StansteadAbbotts: Crown.Steve Turner at FolkClub. 22ndJune DatchworthGreen: Plough, 1 1a.m. Five mile fancydress HERTFORDSHIRESOUTH BRANCH FunRun roundvillage. Entrants, sponsors and marshalswelcome' Monday2nd June Proceedsto HeartResearch. Committeemeeting atthe BarleyMow, Tyttenhanger,Sp.m. 22nd June Ware: BreweryTap, 8p.m.Chauntecleer at Ware Folk Tuesday 1OthJune Club. Anti-social/pubsurvey. Meet at the Plough, End near 22ndJune Puckeridge:Buffalo's Head. Jazz and Barbecue(weather please at8p.m. sharp. Good turnout ! permitting)from 12noon. Tuesday 17th June June Reed: Cabinet, 9.15p.m. Standon Morris Men. Branchmeeting at the White Hart,, 8p.m. in meetingroom 26th Crown.End of seasonExtravaganza acrossthe yard. 27thJune StansteadAbbotts: Monday23rdJune at HoddesdonFolk Club. Ware: BreweryTap, 8p.m. End of seasonExtravaganza at AnnualMidsummer ramble. Meet at the triangulationpillar in the 29thJune FolkClub. middleof BurnhamGreen OS 263166at 8p.m.prompt. Five pubs Ware inthe What's On column is FREE. Send details to theEditor by from five brewersand prayfor clementweather. All welcome;wear Listing stout footwea r. 1st J u ly for the Aug ust edition. TuesdaylstJuly occasionallyreceives complaints that particular events Pubof theMonth social for June( ! ) at PinksHotel near Shenlev. The Editor have not been mentioned in the Newsletter. The Contact AdraanJolliffe r St. Albans 69675 or items of news explanation is always the same: nobody sent in the details. lf you know about somethingof interestthat has happenedor is going to happen,then write to the Editoryourself I Do not wait to complain & DISTRICTBRANCH againthat somethinghas been left'out. Wednesdaytlth June Socialatthe King'sHead, lleath,8p.m. Wednesday11th June Branchmeeting at BlakesBeer Cellar, Watford, gp.m. Peter& LesleyReynolds welcome you to Friday 13th June Pubcrawl in London;phone Contact. Wednesday 18th June HertfordshirePub Guide Surveys. Saturday2SthJune TreasureHunt starting atthe Sportsman,,6p.m. Contact Tony King r Garston 6725,i7 RaymentsBBA* GreeneKing KK & Abbot MID.CHILTERNSBRANCH Tuesday3rd June GOOD}IOTE COOKEDFOOD Branchmeeting atthe Oueens Head, Long Marston,8.30p.m. TONDAYTO SATURDAY Tuesday17th June t BrentPelham22T Anti-social.Start at the RedLion, Potten End, 8.30p.m. and finish at theAnchor, Bourne End. Monday23rd June Joint social with.AvlesburyVale and Wycombe Branchat the Chequers,Pitstone, 8.30p.m. TuesdaylstJuly NOWAVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA Anti-socialaround .Start at the Boars Head, PiccottsEnd,8.30p.m. Contact Ken Smith twatford31226 GOLDENHILL, COTLEIGH, BATES,STAUSTELL, BISHOPS, BUTCOMB E, SMILES, PARADIS E, PUBNEWS THEAKSTONS, DEV ENISH, & SPING O

A belatedwelcome to Patand Ted Wickenden who arerunning their HILLS&THATCHERS RUIN CIDER. first pub, the WellingtonArms. Woodford Road,Watford. The pub has recently re-opened following redecoration and now has WebstersYorkshire Bitter and Trumans Best Bitter on handpump. RING:- ANDY WHITE(020 882 )431 The Royal Oak free house in Busheyhas been bought by Charles Wells-lt is rumouredthat other brewers'beers, in particularFullers LondonPride and Everards Tiger, might continue to beavailable.

The HerttordshireNewsletter is producedby the HertfordshireNorth, Hertfordshire South, Wattord & Districtand Mid-Chilternsbranches of the Campaignfor Real Ale Ltd.The views expressedare not necessarilythose of the Editor,CAMRA Ltd or its branches.The Editor gratefully receives articles or letters for publication.Send to NadlneFynn, 78 Old North Road,Royston, Hertlordshlre. gtsqbdqE:e2,25 for12 issu6. Ssrdtotheabo,readdrsChequepqnbletoGAMRAHe.tscampalghgFurd. Advertising:f8 per 2.Scmcolumn. Artwork can be made up at extra cost.Contact Eric Sim Hatfield60647 for details COPY DATE FOR AUGUST EDITION:lSt JULY. FOR SdPTEMBEREDITION:ISIAUGUST Printed'andfilmset by D & S Graphics,Sucklings Yard, Church St. Ware,Herts. Tel: Ware (0920) 60228