Ship Tavern, Boston

My first call, with my colleague Ian Marshman, was the market town of Boston. Clipboards in hand, we braved a windy afternoon to record the Ship Tavern, next to the old Customs House on South Street. Built on the site of the Dominican Friary, the inn was licensed in 1815.

The pub is tucked away, behind later buildings with only a small sign advertising its existence from the main road. It is a two storey brick building with attic and slate roof with and hasn't changed much over time.

Over the years, the pub has had an exciting history, serving as an auction house during the early 19th Century for the cargo of wrecked ships. In the 1830s, the pub hosted an anti-corruption society aligned to the Tory ‘Pinks’ who were more liberal in their views. In 1844, a nearby warehouse caught fire, engulfing the pub - although much of the pub survived, including the furniture! More recently, the pub has had strong links to Boston United (the ground is visible from the pub’s front door).

We didn’t get a chance to examine the interior fabric (the pub is currently closed). Still, since this was a trial run, we spent plenty of time battling the elements testing our field recording method and assessing the building’s architectural and historical merits rather than talking to the locals or sampling the quality of the pub’s food or beer.