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Great White Horse, Ipswich


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43 Tavern Street, Ipswich, IP1 3AG (View on Google Map)

This Pub is Permanently Closed

Originally opened in 1518, the Great White Horse started out as "the Tavern", whence Tavern Street gets its name. The current white brick & stone faced building replaced an earlier (16th/17th century) hotel & posting house probably sometime in the early 19th cent. when the road was also widened. The building is currently undergoing alterations as much of the ground floor is converted to shop units once again. This was previously done in the early 1990s when after a brief trading spell much of the ground floor was converted back into a single large bar with a central servery. The building is now largely empty, with shop units taking up the ground floor & part of the first.

Historic Interest

A report in the Ipswich Journal** on 17 Jan in 1801 states that: "Thursday, died, after a long affliction, much respected, Mrs BAMFORD, wife of Mr BAMFORD, at the Great White Horse, Ipswich." In 1865 it is listed as a Family & Commercial hotel & Posting house & refreshment rooms at railway station. A report in the Suffolk Chronicle** on 23rd January, 1813 states that the Great White Horse Tavern & Hotel in Ipswich has been taken over by William BROOKS. In early 19th cent. The inn was effectively a "terminus" for many coaches to London, Great Yarmouth or Norwich. Lord Nelson stayed here overnight in Nov 1800 with Lord & Lady Hamilton. His reception was tremendous (after battle of Nile) & reportedly the "enthusiastic citizens unharnessed the horses from their carriage & 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 NE 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 & was appauled 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 & Louis XVIII of France. A report in the Ipswich Journal** on 26 May in 1883 states that : "Auction of the Great White Horse, Ipswich; by direction of Mr W.T.HOLMES (on expiry of the lease)." Photographs of this Grade II* listed pub and more up-to-date and detailed information about it can be found at suffolk.camra.org.uk/pub/486

Information for this venue is provided by the Ipswich & East Suffolk Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Tavern
Local Authority
Ipswich District (B)
Last updated
10/05/2021
Last surveyed
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
unknown
Pub ID
SUF/486
Asset of Community Value

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