02/12/25 - Why Not, Bloxwich

Unloved Canals and Heritage Pubs

I cannot think of Bloxwich without being reminded of a local comedian, Johnny Sorrow. I saw him twice in the early 2010's and was amazed by the man's comic timing. He never went on to any success and AI cannot find any information about him since 2019.

The Internet doesn't totally forget.... Don't talk to me about mirthless big blokes from Bloxwich.

 

After the longest mile per minute railway journey in the world, I am in Bloxwich. Primarily to complete the next walk in my possibly 30 year old "Best Pub Walks in the Black Country book.  Yet, its another book that has piqued my interest. A month ago, I plotted all the Camra Heritage Pubs in the Midlands onto my Google Maps. Handily over adjoining pages, there are three in Bloxwich.

Of course I have ticked the Bull and Bladder

The walk, as anticipated, was a disaster. It looks like the only stretch of the Wyrley and Essington that has been abandoned is in Bloxwich. The book suggests crossing at a bit where the canal bed is dry. On arrival, the stepping stones that provided access have fallen into complete ruin. A high bank of scrub has been built on the opposite side. This is to hide the nefarious activities of scrap metal merchants who seemingly never want the outside world to see what they are up to.

Somehow, I am meant to get over to the dry land in the top left corner

Somehow, I managed to cross. You don't have to. This led to water soaked fields - a main road that even the guide book described as "awful" and the Why Not Inn. 

More bad news - I had checked it was open but rearranged my walking day to a Tuesday. When it opens mid afternoon.

I'll tell you "Why Not" - different opening hours on different days of the week

Quieter lane walking and then a maintained section of the aforementioned canal - with a Towpath.

Plain sailing, from here on in  

Several hours to my meeting about the importance of buildings within local communities (it was free, it was at the 1000 Trades), so lets check out the Bloxwich drinking scene, Heritage or otherwise.

The Spring Cottage has the lights on and the door unlocked. I am 15 minutes early for a 2pm opener but they show that customer service is alive and well and serve me. To be fair, three more people come in before the official opening hours, so they may need to reconsider. No cask, and despite the bar surround, no matured whiskies.

Mappiman declares it open. Other follow

Cruzcampo - ceremonial chalice 

A fine community local - where I was included in conversations and the jokes shared my one gentlemen who was no Johnny Sorrow.

All hail Sir Timbo. In a few years, we will talk about how we could buy perfect cask Christmas Ale in an impressive building and have change from a coin. 

Orkney Brewery Clootie Dumpling for £1.89

The former cinema was named the "Electric Palace". The Showman, a reference to Pat Collins, a member of the local carny.

Onto the Heritage Pubs - The Bell and The Turf Tavern - well dead. Optimistically, the shabbiest of the two - the Turf - has a hand written note in the window saying "temporarily closed". A look through the window and two spider plants on a table are in remarkably good condition. Someone is watering them.

The Bell - possibly salvageable

"the last truly unspoiled terrace pub left in the country". Folkestone's East Cliff Tavern would like a word 

Suggests it was a short term closure

Had been in the Hiscott-Wilkes family since 1871

Closure happened at the start of Covid and despite its listed status, I doubt any of us will see the outside gents, former brewery or pig-sties.

Which leaves us with Romping Cat - a corner local maintaining its original three room layout.

A heraldic lion was on the original sign for the Sandbank Tavern - hence the nickname

I found two of the rooms, and the second lounge bar even had another punter in it. A quiet pub, with no sound from TVs or jukeboxes. The bar person was wearing earphones. All that was needed was a ticking grand-father clock.

And what beer would you expect to find in a West Midlands Heritage pub?...

A excellent pint of Tetleys was probably not the answer you expected.

TV Off. Both punters in the lounge

A strange day - ending where I sign up for the fight to resurrect Birmingham's The Crown from evil Japanese car park owners.

Explorations will continue at haste. There is little time left for pub explorers.

Walk Details

Distance - 7 Miles

Geocaches - 2

Walk Inspiration - Best Walks in the Black Country, Walk 4

01/12/25 - Temple Pub Crawl

Four Pubs - 90 Seconds Apart

YouTube is really rather excellent these days. I read an article on the weekend by someone who had cancelled all other streaming services for a single YouTube subscription.

I haven't quite gone that far - happy to use the adverts to take notes. This pub crawl coming courtesy of the ever entertaining Tweedy - who manages to use a stop watch to take 90 seconds to walk between four pubs, two of which are in the Good Beer Guide.

And some people don't like London.

Armed with things to look out for, I recreate his steps.

The Devereux

The Deveraux

Tweedy has done my research for me - a former coffee house known as the Grecian - and a regular was my name-sake, and some would say look-alike - Sally Mapp. 

Sally Mapp, famously nicknamed “Crazy Sally,” was an 18th‑century bonesetter who became a minor celebrity in London for her fearless and unconventional treatments of dislocations and fractures. Operating out of the Grecian Coffee House in Devereux Court, she treated everyone from ordinary Londoners to upper‑class clients, often performing manipulations in public spaces. She was as flamboyant as she was skilled: she reportedly drove herself around town in a chariot, turning heads wherever she went.

There's a definite resemblance

The pub is nicely comfortable, with a vague Irish theme - presented in the crisps, a nice little partitioned booths for added privacy and stopping pub bloggers from getting material.

Half a London Pride and Taytos

The George

Moments away - with a rear entrance that saves you braving the chaos of Fleet Street - is the George, dating from 1723. I would have missed the fine external carvings if it hadn't have been for Tweedy. I didn't miss the Cask Marque certificate, which needed staff intervention to scan as it was located bar-side.

Carvings in Gold Leaf

I also didn't miss an extensive line up of cask. You've got to laugh at Londoners naming a beer "Headless Cavalier". I'm going to start an export firm dealing in sparklers. That'll fix it.

Goodnight Pete - from Park Brewery - selected

The Cheshire Cheese

No, not that one. One tucked away in Little Essex Street.

1928 - Not ancient

The History

Tweedy Points out the lead glass and Saloon labelling

I am the only punter - and as it's a Shepherd's Neame House - hardly helping to keep the lights on. Shuddering at the thought of early days of the Saxon Shore Way, when I converted to cider, it's a half of Guinness for me.

At least the uncomfortable silence is soon broken by four American tourists bursting through the side door. Taking loads of photos and asking questions about the age of the building, the barman at least has the grace to let them know they need the other Cheshire Cheese.

Maybe this is how they make their money? Picking up the scraps of the unprepared pub tourist.

The Edgar Wallace

At last, I am through the door of this weekday-opening-only Good Beer Guide regular.

Last attempt, a Saturday

So much history

A pub to feel instantly at home in but will leave you with a desire to take up smoking. I'be seen pub paraphernalia before. Usually drinks related but sometimes tobacco. Here, they have even nailed cigarette packets to the walls.

Wall, and ceiling, real estate in short supply

Easily pub of the day - not least, as it has Harvey's Sussex Best on.

01/12/25 - London's Inns of Court

The City within a City Oasis

My walk takes me to all four of London's Inns of Court - Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Middle Temple and Inner Temple. History at every turn - with Ian Nairn saving his praise for the hidden city within the City;

"This oasis, which most cities would give its eyes for..... as memorable as anything in Oxford or Cambridge"

Royal Courts of Justice, as we leave the sanctuary of Temple

Obligatory Dickens reference 

Temple calmness

Temple Church - London's Notre Dame - is the obvious architectural highlight. I was told to visit during last week's Worcester Cathedral visit, where my guide told me the only other effigy with an unsheathed sword was interred here. She may have got that wrong.... all swords appear to be sheathed. Regardless - an unexpected £5 entrance fee - but what does that buy you in the Smoke? Just over a half of beer, as I determine on the pub crawl later.

Temple Church, founded by the Knights Templar in the 12th century, is a rare medieval survivor hidden within London’s legal quarter. Its round nave echoes the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and the church has long served as the ceremonial heart of the Inner and Middle Temple. Inside, carved knightly effigies and remarkable acoustics give the place a serene, time-slipped atmosphere.

 As Nairn points out - along with the rest of Temple, it's incredible how much of this (and surrounding buildings) were meticulously rebuilt from photograph images after the WWII.  "The best new townscape in London is neo-Georgian".

Temple Church

The Views you get for £5

Sword Sheathed

Onto the Pubs - for the shortest Pub Crawl in London.

Walk Details

Distance - 2 Miles

Walk Inspiration - Andrew Duncan's Favourite London Walks

Geocaches - 13 

01/12/25 - Brentford

Waterways at the County Town of Middlesex

Ian Nairn describes Brentford as "A tragic, traffic-laden" place and moves rather quickly on to describe the merits of the Beehive Pub, the home of the Bees.

This is a morning walk - so no pubs involved, but I do find the pretty parts (the Butts), a pub laden high streets and plenty of water.

The Brent - running for 17 miles from Harrow Weald, to where it meets the Thames here. The Grand Union Canal offering the possibility to take me 137 miles home to Birmingham. A busy, pub-laden high street.

It's here I find the Brentford monument, informing the rambler about the extensive history.  A lot happened here;

The Brentford Monument marks four key moments from the town’s long, strategic history: Julius Caesar’s reported Thames crossing in 54 BC, King Offa’s church council of AD 781, Edmund Ironside’s clash with Cnut’s forces in 1016, and the 1642 Civil War battle fought in its streets.

A story told in photos;

Starting at Boston Manor Tube, made sense to visit the house and extensive grounds

Life under the M4

Been reading about Edward Hopper this month - now I recognise his work in the street

London's largest boat works

The Grand Union Canal and the bridge that takes into Boston Manor Park

Walk Details

Distance - 4.5 Miles

Geocaches - 12

Walk Inspiration - Walking Village London, Walk 1