android appWoodbridge Royal Oak
listed building grade II
last updated Jul 16th, 2024.
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Woodbridge Royal Oak
also traded as Sherlock's Wine Bar
South East, 52.09296,1.31771
Closed: 1936 (with a short reincarnation as a wine bar late-20th century)
opened 1791
17 Thoroughfare
grid reference TM 273 490
It's shown on this OS town plan from 1881 (larger map).
The Royal Oak closed in the 1930s. The building was later used as a wine bar owned by actor Douglas Wilmer, who was apparently known for having played Sherlock Holmes - hence the later name. This seems to have opened about 1977 and evidently closed before 2004.
The 1904 Woodbridge licensing records show that the Royal Oak's license was issued in 1853. Whether this was when it was first licensed or when it got a full (ie not just beer) license isn't clear, though the latter seems more probable.
The pub was built in 1791 by John Sparrow. It was listed as a posting house in 1874.
In 1843 it was the property of Miss Susan Lankester, grandmother of Ray Lankester the eminent zoologist.
It was the property of Mr John Garnham in 1899, and was then famous for its livery stables.
Gallery
Crown 0.06 mile
Old Mariner 0.10 mile
Olde Bell & Steelyard 0.12 mile
Anchor 0.13 mile
Bull 0.15 mile
Red Lion 0.18 mileHistorical interest
Owner/operator: free
[Sherlock's Wine Bar]
no real aleCAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
A common stage-Cart goes from the Halbert in Ipswich to the Royal Oak in Woodbridge at Eight o'clock in the Morning and returns...at Four o'clock the same Afternoon, by which Goods and Passengers shall be conveyed on the most reasonable Terms, by William Lomacks.Ipswich Journal, 23 Nov 1765***
Mr Wynters bay horse Stormer this season will cover at 1 guinea and 1 shilling per mare at Alderton Swan on Tue, Royal Oak in Woodbridge on Wed, Angel at Saxmundham on Thu and home in Aldeburgh for rest of the week till May…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
Closure date from Woodbridge licensing records.
(extract from a town pub booklet written by David Hague which also includes extracts from Booth's Almanac of 1899)
(some old PO directory information courtesy of londonpublichouse.com)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
