ISLE OF WIGHT PUBS: BRADING’S BAKER’S DOZEN OF PUBLIC HOUSES

Island Echo examines the numerous watering holes of the once bustling Brading, past and present. Brading gives the impression of being a small, sleepy, landlocked town. But at one time – up until the end of the 17th century – it was the Island’s main port. Sailors work up a thirst while out at sea, and the oldest of Brading’s once-numerous pubs date back to the late Middle Ages. Even after most of Brading Haven had long since been reclaimed, there were many more pubs in the town than today. According to the memories of a long-term resident of Brading, Mrs Betty Howell, there were 11 pubs in Brading in the last century. These were Thc Wine Bar, The Bugle, The Rcd Lion, The Wheatsheaf, The Brewery, the New Inn, The Anglers, The Proper Brewery, The First & Last, The Rising Sun and the The Robin Hood. An old verse about Brading’s historic public houses reads: The Bugle sounded, Out came a Lion, Up round the Wheatsheaf. Robin Hood caught him, Clare Wright shot him, New Inn skinned him, Anglers ate him. 2 further Brading Public Houses may have escaped her memory: The Crown and The Waggoner’s Arms. If Mrs Howell has forgotten any more, let us know in the comments! The inhabitants of the small town of Brading must have had some thirst. As well as having a dozen or more watering holes, Brading could also boast of 2 breweries in the late 19th century.

The Bugle Inn:

The Bugle Inn in Brading is full of history. A stone in the garden once marked the high water point of Brading Haven. The earliest record of the pub was in 1373, which might make it one of the oldest pubs on the Island. On arriving at the quayside just behind the Bugle, King Charles I is said to have stopped off here for lunch before making his way to Nunwell House, where he stayed before being imprisoned at Carisbrooke Castle. With Brading Harbour just a few yards away, this was said to have been a haunt for smugglers. In the roof space, there is said to be a secret passage. The pub is named after a local name for a young bull. Brading had a history of bull baiting by dogs, which took place in the area in front of the current town hall. The actual bull ring to which the unfortunate animals were tethered remains to this day. This practice took place right up to 1835.

The Crown:

What used to be Isle of Wight Wax Works – now Rectory Mansions – was once a Tudor coaching inn called The Crown, which served seafarers from Brading Haven. The most famous former occupant of the building – while it was a brew house – was German Richards, Vice-Admiral of the Isle of Wight. The British fleet frequently lay at anchor at Brading Haven, and he made his fortune supplying the sailors with beer. The former coaching Inn was said to have been haunted by the ghost an unfortunate Frenchman – Louis de Rochefort – who had been murdered there in the 17th century while carrying a message to the imprisoned Charles I at Carisbrooke Castle. His bones were uncovered on the site in the 60s. His story has been told in the following Island Echo article. Today, part of Rectory Mansions is occupied by The Crown & Bear.

The Kynges Well:

Kynges Well was an atmospheric 17th Century Coaching and posting inn, with an open fire, beamed ceilings, and stone walls. It had a pump dating back to 1764, when it was known as Goulds, It was subsequently named Woodlands, The Red Lion, The Black Horse, The Snooty Fox, A la Carte and Badgers Bistro. Underneath the Kynges Well, there is believed to be Saxon, Medieval, and 17th and 18th Century archaeological treasures as well as possible Bronze Age and Roman finds. Sadly, the pub closed in 2020. Planning permission has been granted for 2 residential properties on the site.

The Wheatsheaf:

The Wheatsheaf is a further historic Brading pub, established in 1786. The pub is famous for the sale of a wife – Thomas Hardy style – on the premises by a character known as Musher Coombes for a gallon of beer. Like Susan Henchard in ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’, she left is said to have left with her buyer. Unlike the fictional Susan, she never returned to her lawful spouse. What are your memories of Brading pubs? Let us know in the comments…