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Stonham Parva Magpie
Stonham Parva Magpie
also traded as Pie Inn
East, 52.20163,1.09973
Closed:
Closed when current management moved to the Crowfield Rose. Pub is now on the market.
opened Pre-1471
Norwich Road, IP14 5JY
grid reference TM 119 604
The pub is shown on this old OS map from about 1903 (interactive map)
Now offering food and drinks from a refurbished bar, the Magpie also has a separate room for playing traditional pub games.
The pub has an unusual (Grade II Listed) sign which spans the road. The building dates from the 15th century, with 16th and 19th century additions and is also Grade II Listed.
Within living memory, a live magpie was confined within a cage on the pub's wall as a living pub-sign.
It was apparently flourishing in 1471 and then or some time afterwards was owned by the local parson, who let it to a tenant together with 14 acres of land for 20 shillings per annum. In due course the parish owned the property, but in 1931 it was bought by the present owners, Messrs Tollemache & Cobbold, the Ipswich brewers. The money paid was used to meet the cost of providing a piped water supply to the village.British Inn Signs and their Stories, Eric R Delderfield, 1965
According to Alfred Hedges' 1976 book "Inns an Inn Signs of Norfolk and Suffolk", this is one of only a dozen remaining pubs in the country with a sign spanning the road. So probably fewer today...
Gallery
Historical interest
Owner/operator: Pubmaster
C14th coaching inn, famed for its ‘gallows sign’ spanning the Norwich to London road. The restaurant has had many of the old beams exposed. Pleasant waterside garden in extensive grounds. Watch out for the pub ghost!
Beers: Whitbread Boddington's Bitter; guest beer (Pubmaster list)CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
A historic Inn, post office and posting house. It's shown on the 1904 OS map as "Stonham Pie Inn".
The pub may also be listed on Turnpike Road.…
Landlords
Footnote
The name may refer to an ancient meaning for the word magpie, "a half pint".
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(1891 census 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.