05/08/23 - The Good Beer Guide Pubs of Walsall

 A Pub Crawl with a Macabre Interlude

One thing invariably leads to another thing. A podcast brought Peter Underwood, a paranormal investigator, to my attention. A web site has digitised some of his works and includes a map of where his investigations took place. Only natural to look at what's closest and there's an entry for Walsall - where there remains much pub ticking work to do.

On possibly the wettest day of 2023, I make the 90 minute train journey, covering all of 23 miles, to go in search of spooks and pints. 

After such an public transport odyssey, a breakfast is required. And who wouldn't want to breakfast in a doric arched former civic building, with the added bonus of drinking a Camra Champion Beer of Britain award winning beer?

Found on Flickr - Too wet for me to stop for photos

Abbot Ale - there's not a bandwagon I wont jump on - especially sub £3

St Matthews Hall ticks all the JDW Boxes. A trek upstairs to find the loos. Cheap beer. Quickly served breakfast. Architecturally stunning, both inside and out. It isn't every day you can drink in a library. It isn't every day you can drink in a Grade II listed building. 

Not that that stops them getting torched in this part of the world.

Such a sad end to such a historic building… RIP the Crooked House pub… pic.twitter.com/C0Azbp4ZXQ

— Once Upon A Time In The Black Country (@once_country) August 6, 2023

As to the award winning qualities of Greene King - not getting involved. Too much to discuss in the blog.

Despite the rain, a walk around Walsall Arboretum and then through light industrial estates that make me think I have plotted Pretty Bricks incorrectly into the GPS.  But there, opposite a "Hot Foil Stamping and Pod Printing" factory, it stands.

Have you ever seen prettier bricks?

Listening to another podcast - Birmingham food critic Simon Carlo's Meat and One Veg - he claims his three favourite Brum pubs are the Jewellers  Arms, the Wellington and the Craven Arms. The common denominator? They are all Black Country Ales tied houses. And so is the Pretty Bricks. Simon, like myself, is obviously a fan of the traditional pub experience.

Just add punters and you have the traditional pub experience

Zero other punters. I suppose Walsallians cannot be bothered to walk through industrial estates in the rain.

The only change from the BCA blueprint I noticed was a traditional beer board, rather than a PPT on a TV Screen. Just the 7 real ales for me to chose from, with Fixed Wheel No Brakes Pale Ale my pint of the day.

I was going to save the Fountain Inn until the end, but as it is at this end of town, I head there next. I've heard good things about this from one of the hosts of the Beer O'Clock Show podcast. Not that I was likely to miss a GBG nominated brewery tap.

Another solid looking traditional

The front door presents a choice of "Snug" and "Bar", with both rooms separated by a central bar. Handpulls on either side with differing options and I was pointed to a chalk board list of offerings.  The funny thing is, I did not notice any from Backyard Brewery, for which this is the tap room.

Maybe I panicked too early under the pressure of making a selection. Not that there was anything wrong with my chosen Abbeydale Explore the River Aire ESB. Which I assume was meant to look like that. Only 9 other Untapped checkins, leaving me unable to prove the haze one way or the other.

Three other punters at 1pm on a Saturday

Onto the reason for being in Walsall but don't drop off, pub fans. Unexpectedly, amongst the many chicken shops of Caldmore Green, is a Tudor Manor House. Since 1817 and until very recently, it was the White Hart Pub. 

Chicken Shops not captured by another Flickr user

Now flats, but the signage remains to show "what you could have won"

During renovations in 1870, a Cromwellian sword held by a dissected child's arm was found in the attic. Local legend had this down as a "Hand of Glory". This medieval folklore tale claims that the hand of a hanged criminal, fashioned into a candle holder can be used by burglars to avoid detection from the occupants of the house they were robbing. The fumes knock them cold and the only way the flame can be extinguished is via milk.  Admittedly, for spooky content, the last part of the myth needs some work.

Tests showed that this limb was actually pickled and most likely used by medical practitioners who had bought a cadaver from the local grave robbers - known in these parts as "Digg-em-uppers".

Got half an hour spare? This amateur youtube video is much better than you would expect and gives you the complete story, including that of the ghost of a woman, impregnated by a member of the royal family.

Still leaves Andrew as the biggest wrong 'un.

And what did the Council do with these artifacts? In classic West Midlands style, they lost the sword and put the arm on display in the town library. Pandering to modern sensibilities, it was removed from public view but until recently, was available on request.

But if you want to see one - go to Whitby Museum, where they have a bone fide Hand of Glory in a glass cabinet. You've got to love this country!

Back to the pubs and one last Good Beer Guide Tick at the Walsall Arms.  A proper blogger would link a joke linking back to the White Hart.

Down the Back Streets of Walsall

At last pub life - split into thirds. One third watching a Man Utd friendly. One third watching the racing from Newbury. One third on their phones, into pork scratchings or both at the same time.

Pub with punters

Five real ales on - and a decent St Austell Proper Job, stuffed into a Wye Valley glass.

Will I back in Walsall? You bet your bottom dollar.

I forgot to go to the Victoria.  And the Butts Tavern. Hell, they might even let me into the Cricket Club, if I bring the bible with me.