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Press Release

24/07/2019

Local pubs steeped in history are showcased in new book

CAMRA’s latest title in its Pub Heritage series is set in the South West of England

For more information, please contact press@camra.org.uk or call 01727 337863 

Stunningly preserved local pubs steeped in history are showcased in CAMRA’s latest title, Real Heritage Pubs of the South West, by Paul Ainsworth, Russ Durbridge and Michael Slaughter.

Featuring over 100 pubs from the rocky coastal tip of Cornwall to the wide valleys of Wiltshire, visitors and locals alike can find a unique drinking hole nearby that has stood the test of time. The book champions the need to celebrate, understand and protect pub heritage throughout the UK.

All pubs listed in the guide retain interiors or internal features of real historic significance, such as rural ‘time-warp’ pubs with no bar counters, old coaching inns and untouched interiors from the inter-war and post-war period. Some highlights include:

  • The Bridge Inn in Topsham, Devon – the only pub to have been officially visited by Her Majesty The Queen

  • The Drewe Arms, Drewsteignton, Devon – which was run for 75 years by Mabel Mudge who at her retirement in 1994 was Britain’s oldest licensee at the age of 99

  • The Blue Anchor, Helston, Cornwall – which is the UK’s longest continuously-operating brew pub

  • The Rose & Crown, Huish Episcopi and Tucker’s Grave Inn, Faulkland, both in Somerset – two of only six pubs in the UK without a bar

CAMRA’s National Chairman Nik Antona said: “Pubs have been a cornerstone of British society for hundreds of years, and we’re lucky to have so many historic examples tastefully preserved for future generations. The latest pub heritage title is the must-have guide for anyone planning a visit to the South West this summer as well as local residents.”

Dr Deborah Mays, Head of Listing at Historic England said: “We have enjoyed working with CAMRA on the listing of many of England’s great pubs. Two-thirds of those in this informative guide are Listed, which is a form of protection that celebrates their special historic character and helps ensure their distinctive interest can be enjoyed by communities today and tomorrow.”

Geoff Brandwood, author of many publications with CAMRA and Historic England, and a former chair of the Victorian Society says: “Amid the sadness of pub closures nationally, we still have an utterly fantastic collection of pubs with genuine historic interiors. I’d defy anybody to go to the pubs in CAMRA’s new guide and not come away wanting more – much more: the Seymour Arms, Witham Friary, Somerset; the Square & Compass, Worth Matravers, Dorset; the Haunch of Venison, Salisbury, Wiltshire, and lots of others. These are special places – enjoy. There is nothing not to like!”

Real Heritage Pubs of the South West will go on sale on  25 July 2019 and retails for £5.99. It is available for pre-order on the CAMRA Shop: https://shop.camra.org.uk/index.php/product/real-heritage-pubs-of-the-southwest/

Everyone is welcome to share the pleasure further online after visiting these fantastic pubs by Enriching the List with what catches your eye: historicengland.org.uk/listing/enrich-the-list/

Launch event

To celebrate the launch of the title, members of the press are invited to an event with the author on the 1st August at The Kings Head, Bristol, from 1pm. If you are interested in attending, please contact press@camra.org.uk

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