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Ipswich Great White Horse
Ipswich Great White Horse
also traded as Tavern, White Horse
South East, 52.05776,1.15601
closed 2008
opened 1518
43 Tavern St, IP1 3AH
grid reference TM 164 446
It's shown on this OS town plan from about 1880 (larger map).
Originally opened in 1518, the Great White Horse started out as "the Tavern", whence Tavern Street gets its name. It's understood that the Tavern existed back at the time of the Commonwealth (circa 1660).
By the 19th century the inn was effectively a terminus for many coaches to London, Great Yarmouth and Norwich.
Admiral Lord Nelson stayed here overnight in November 1800 with Lord & Lady Hamilton. His reception was tremendous (after the battle of the Nile) and reportedly the "enthusiastic citizens unharnessed the horses from their carriage and drew it through cheering crowds to the end of St Mathews St." Earlier in the day he had taken the opportunity to visit "Roundwood" a house his wife had purchased for him in north east Ipswich - but sadly he subsequently never lived there.
Charles Dickens also famously stayed at the hotel when he was working as a young reporter, covering a by-election in Sudbury and was appalled by local dubious vote buying practices then employed. His experiences (of 1835) soon provided him with the inspiration for Eatenswill in his first book, Pickwick Papers. It also caused him to be threatened with libel action by the hotel's then proprietor William Brooks.
Other eminent visitors have included George II and Louis XVIII of France.
The current white brick & stone faced building replaced an earlier (16th/17th century) timber fronted hotel and posting house in the early 19th century (between about 1815-18) when the road was being widened.
The building has been mostly disused in recent years, with shop units taking up the ground floor areas to the first.In 2018 some of the building annex was incorporated in a new hotel being built to rear.
Owner/operator: Forte
Plush C19th town centre hotel, which replaced a much earlier inn on this site. Famous guests have included George II and Charles Dickens, who featured it in the Pickwick Papers.
Beers: Marston's Pedigree; ScotCo Webster's Yorkshire Bitter; Tolly Bitter.CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
Gallery
Historical interest
General Sessions 1722 c/2/9/1/1/1/37***
An inquisition on the body of Peter Gorsey ? esq. at the house of John Smith, known by the name of the Great White Horse in St Mary Tower parish...he left the yard of the White Horse Tavern, but having been drinking, he fell from his horse.
A reference appears in the Ipswich Journal*** on September 1st 1739 to Mr Charles Nuthall at the Great White Horse, Ipswich…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(some detailed information from Old inns of Suffolk by Leonard P Thompson)
(information from Dudley Diaper)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
(*** historic newspaper information from Bob Mitchell)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.