Links Between Pubs and the Church

[Andy Ven]

I threw in an off the cuff comment in the Pub Photography thread which has spawned some additional interest:


Some excellent recommendations and reviews - Mr Trench, Ms Pint and Mr Ven. Now that's my kind of church.
My initial contribution was the Mug House in Claines, Worcester http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/42474/ because it stands wholly (holy?) on consecrated ground.

The Savile Arms partially does http://www.heavywoollencamra.org.uk/savile.htm / http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/40377/. The Ring O'Bells in Kendall also makes the claim: http://ringobellskendal.co.uk/


I then Googled pub church and found this piece in Wikipedia where the pub and church are combined: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pub_church

There are also religious origins of some pub names : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pub_names

and, of course, you can always 'bank' on JD Wetherspoon to convert the use of an existing building into a pub: http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-west-kirk & http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-church-house

[rpadam]

This one's worth going to (although more to see the conversion than for their range of beer):

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/58133/

[Quinno]

The Academy in Aberystwyth

http://aberpubs.blogspot.com/2009/12/aberystwyth-academy-yr-academi.html

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/61963/

[Alesonly]

This one which is about 50 yards from my house it used too be The Temperance Church Hall according too one of the stones laid during building. Its now only a O Neills but its not bad as long as you avoid it at weekends and Or if theres sport on.

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/55177/

[RogerB]

I'm struggling to think if I have ever been in a pub housed in a former church. The old Limelight music venue in Shaftesbury Avenue was founded in a church and became a Walkabout although I never went in there. It is now a night club. Speaking of Music Venues, there are some very good churche related ones. The Union Chapel in Islington actually still functions as a church. Norwich Arts Centre and Colchester Arts Centre are also housed in converted churches.

[oldboots]

The Salisbury Beer Festival used to be held in the St Edmunds Art Centre which as the name suggests was a disused church, it was very odd using a table tomb as a pub table.

[Thuck Phat]

The old Limelight music venue in Shaftesbury Avenue was founded in a church and became a Walkabout although I never went in there. It is now a night club.

I went there in the 80's when it was also a nightclub. Amazing building and eclectic clientele back then. No real ale though.

On a tangent, it is often the case that if looking for the pub in an unknown village then heading for the church will also lead to the pub as they're often next door to each other. Mr Fastard has coined this as 'Church Theory' and it's an invaluable aid to the wandering boater.

[Oggwyn Trench]

I went there in the 80's when it was also a nightclub. Amazing building and eclectic clientele back then. No real ale though.

On a tangent, it is often the case that if looking for the pub in an unknown village then heading for the church will also lead to the pub as they're often next door to each other. Mr Fastard has coined this as 'Church Theory' and it's an invaluable aid to the wandering boater.

This is a well known fact and one i use regulary at work when trying to find a pub in areas i dont know , find the church and the pub will be near , churchs often used to take several years to build so they would build an inn first so the builders (mostly the skilled craftsman) would have somewhere to live whilst building the church

[Crossste]

JDW offering in Brighouse is a former Methodist church. One of their smaller and nicer outlets IMO.

http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-richard-oastler

[Farway]

You can get a free beer at St Cross priory, Winchester (http://www.stcross.f2s.com/), long tradition of supplying pilgrims with food & drink

It has been home to the Master and Brethren of St Cross since medieval times and today visitors can still receive the Wayfarer's Dole (a small beaker of beer and a morsel of bread)

I suspect a small "donation" would be expected these days

[Millay]

I'm struggling to think if I have ever been in a pub housed in a former church.

Get yourself down to The Samuel Peto (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/56927/) in Folkestone then Roger. It's a JDW built inside an old church. You can see the old organ above the bar, although it's not as impressive as I imagine it once was. The upper level is very impressive on a sunny day as a lot of the old stained glass windows have been retained/reproduced. Not a great pub in the evening when the local kids take over but OK during the day for a pint and a mooch around.


Or there's this one, The Frankenstein Pub in Edinburgh (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/64695/) where the facade is still that of the church and the pulpit can still be seen. Seems my 2003 review is still the only one. I was quite proud of that one, first and only time I've used the word juxtaposition in a review :D

[trainman]

Queen of Hearts (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/72272/) is in a previous church building. Bloomin disgrace to put such an awful pub in such a building, genuine sacrilege. Not much point stopping around this area though, since City sadly moved.

[Paris_Hilton]

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/69988/
http://www.the-chapel.info/

[arwkrite]

Georges Meeting House is a JDW in Exeter. Been a while since I visited. An ex Methodist church of quite some size. The C of E often put a no drinks policy on Any property they lease out or sell off. I know of some country B&B's, ex farm houses once church owned, not able to sell alcohol. I suppose guests could take their own.

[Farway]

The Lanyard, Portsmouth (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/59786/) is housed in former, Methodist I think, church Only looked in not sampled the beers, but the original interior architecture remains and is quite impressive

[Oggwyn Trench]

Most pubs called the Bell are usually built by or stand on Church land:pray: