Southwold Southwold Arms
last updated Feb 20th, 2023.
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Southwold Southwold Arms
also traded as Green Man, Joiners Arms
South West, 52.32732,1.67743
closed 1996
50 High St, IP18 6DJ
grid reference TM 506 762
The pub is shown (though not named) on this old OS map from about the end of the 19th century. interactive map
One of only eight Suffolk pubs to appear in the first (1972) edition of CAMRA's Good Beer Guide, when it sold Adnams' Bitter & Mild.
Now residential.
Gallery
Crown 0.07 mile
Swan 0.11 mile
Sole Bay Inn 0.15 mile
Red Lion 0.18 mile
Lord Nelson 0.19 mile
Blyth 0.25 mileHistorical interest
Colour-Sargeant Robert MacKenzie attested his Scottish descent by always wearing tam o' shanter, and serving no meals before grace had been said. He would not accommodate females or couples, for fear they were not properly married, and he objected to seeing any lady dance with a man not her husband…(he) never once slept away from home in the 28 years he was tenant of the Southwold Arms. When he died, in 1915, at the age of 87, the soldiers then stationed in the town gave him a military funeral. If this building did not become a pub until the middle of the (19th) century, it was certainly in existence long before then…
Landlords
Footnote
A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Also frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings (both secular and ecclesiastical).
The Company of Joiners were granted a coat of arms in 1571. Traditionally they were usually employed in producing more ornamental work than carpenters.
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(some old PO directory information courtesy of londonpublichouse.com)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
(*** historic newspaper & book information from Bob Mitchell)
(**** Reference to pub seen in Southwold Diary of James Maggs (1818-1876) published by Suffolk Records Society in 2007)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
