Our talk at the December meeting was Historic Pubs of Salisbury by Richard Nash and Frogg Moody.

The Brewery Tap was the last of the pubs selling rough cider in Salisbury but also allowed children in. In 1971 the Brewery Tap closed but gradually one or two others started to sell rough cider but not under that name!

The days of pub outings through to the sixties were illustrated, including a picture of a 1910 charabanc. The Pheasant, which is still in use, dates from the 15th century, and contains the 17th century Shoemakers Guild. Also discussed were the Salisbury breweries now disappeared: Gibbs and Lovibonds. Originally most pubs had their own brewery house, today these would be called microbreweries.

Also mentioned were possibly two of the oldest pubs in Salisbury. The Queen’s Arms is still a pub and the The Star now the Rai D`Or (reverting to its older name), was once a brothel. It appears to be haunted, possibly with an underground passage.

The White Hart has an interesting history. There has been an inn on this site since the 17th century.

The current building dates from 1820. A number of well known people have been associated with The White Hart, Sir Walter Raleigh whilst in hiding, and obtained food from this inn.

Mark Twain stayed there and Queen Victoria enjoyed an elegant luncheon. It is mentioned in the book Martin Chuzzlewit by Dickens. During World War One the White Hart provided 13,432 baths at 4d a time for the soldiers.

The society’s next meeting will be on Tuesday, January 6 at 7.30pm in Morgan’s Vale and Woodfalls Village Hall, with a talk on The Wessex Gallery, Salisbury Museum by Owain Hughes. All welcome.