Victoria Tavern, Hogsthorpe and Kings Head Inn, Theddlethorpe

Originally a beerhouse, the Victoria Tavern has been serving customers since 1869.

In 1909 it was one of 3 licensed houses in Hogsthorpe, the others being the long-established Saracen’s Head and the Bell. The Victoria Tavern is a modest two-storey building loosely rectangular in plan with an additional single-storey extension.

In 1900, the licensee was William Parish. In 1922, Parish found himself as a witness in a bigamy case against his former wife, Annie Bell. Bell was charged with bigamy marrying several local men, including Parish.

Under Parish, the pub was partly rebuilt, including the addition of the single-storey extension (left-hand side).

The pub’s alterations helped compete with the Bell and Saracen’s Head as a place to stay for visitors to the village. Before this, local JP Mr William Briggs considered the pub in such disrepair that the license should be revoked! Unfortunately, the pub was closed when I arrived. Hopefully, I will get a second chance to visit before the project ends.

The King’s Head Inn, Theddlethorpe, is located opposite the old methodist chapel, on the road towards Saltfleetby.

The pub was closed when I arrived, but Dave, the landlord, came out to greet me while walking around outside. Dave and partner Jackie have been in the pub industry for decades and worked in a pub in Northumbria before purchasing the King’s Head in the early noughties.

The King’s Head is a handsomely thatched building that reportedly dates from the early seventeenth century.

Originally a house or smallholding, the King’s Head was licensed to sell alcohol in the 19th Century; however, the age of the building (almost 400 years old) makes this one of the oldest places I’ve visited along the coast. Inside, the pub retains its old-world feel with open fireplaces and exposed wood and brickwork. In the 20th century, the pub was extended towards the east, adding additional rooms for dining and accommodation.

A porch with a cloakroom was also built at the front entrance. An early photograph shows the pub before these alterations. In the 1950s, following a fire, the pub had a corrugated iron roof fitted. An old photograph shows what the building looked like before all the thatch was put back and the roof restored.

Dave and Jackie kindly show me pictures of the internal framework of the roof, rebuilt in traditional methods. In the oldest part of the pub (overlooking the village main road), the ceiling is less than 5ft 9in high and even less where there are beams; an open brick fire dominates much of this room, adding to the place’s charm. I’m told this section of the pub was formerly a butcher shop before being converted into a snug and lately holiday accommodation.

Jackie tells me it was in this room the famous poet Alfred Tennyson was taken following a visit to nearby Theddlethorpe Mill. Tennyson needed medical attention after hitting his head inspecting the flour mill.

Apparently, Tennyson was laid down on a table while the local butcher added stitches to the poet’s head (I hope he was offered a strong drink before and after surgery)! A statue of Alfred Tennyson can be found in Lincoln outside Cathedral. Photo credit Andrew Price.

Despite being almost 400 years old, the building is currently not on the national heritage list, and if the Tennyson story could be confirmed, perhaps it should be.