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Ipswich Black Horse
Ipswich Black Horse
West, 52.05734,1.14961
Cask Ale is sold here.
29 Black Horse Ln, IP1 2EF
grid reference TM 160 445
opened approx. 1689
owner/operator: Stonegate (formerly Ei Group)
Under new management since August 2022. 3 Cask Ales changing most months. Renovation is ongoing and the carpark has been replaced with the beginnings of a beer garden. No juke box or fruit machines, just a traditional country pub with a real fire, sofas, board games and in the back a pool table (pool free with your drink on Tuesdays, pool team practice on Sundays). There is also a dartboard and TV but they are also in the back.
Hot food is served everyday. The pub offers gaming areas and various seating areas including an outside patio. There's often live music at weekends.
Although the building has been a pub "only" since about 1689, it was standing for some time before that; historians believe that Thomas Wolsey was born here or close to here in approximately 1473. It is believed to be the oldest pub of this name in East Anglia.
NOTE: before 1867 Black Horse lane was called Burstall lane*****
Facilities
- Beer garden or other outside drinking area
- Beer served through handpumps
- Bus stop nearby (see transport links for details)
- Dogs welcome
- Evening meals
- Family friendly
- Live music: see Facebook
- Lunchtime meals (not just snacks)
- Special events: Karaoke every Monday 7pm-11pm
- Traditional pub games available
Railway station about 0.6 miles away (see transport links for details)
Gallery
Nearest railway station
Historical interest
The pub is shown on this OS town plan from about 1880 (larger map).
Owner/operator: Scottish Courage
C16th pub, which has recently undergone a major facelift. Pleasant outdoor drinking area.
Beers: ScotCo Courage Directors; ScotCo Theakston Best Bitter; ScotCo Webster's Yorkshire Bitter; guest beer.CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
Originally a 16th century merchant's house. It must have converted to a public house after 1689 when only two licensed premises were recorded in St Matthew's parish - the White Lion (later called the Golden Lion) and the Crown. A Tudor doorway remains within the building, with Jacobean workmanship. The pub also enjoyed a good reputation for the quality of its beers due in part to the perfectly balanced temperature of the cellar…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(detailed information from Old inns of Suffolk by Leonard P Thompson)
(information from Dudley Diaper)
(** historic newspaper information from Bob Mitchell)
(*** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
(**** information supplied by Neil Langridge)
(***** information about Burstall lane from http://www.ipswich-lettering.co.uk/streetnames.html)