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Shipmans, Northampton

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An historic, long narrow building with two entrances at either end that dates back to the 1700's. It re-opened in 2022 after a lengthy period of closure and refurbished to a very high standard by the McManus Pub Co. The ground floor bar has banquette seating in the front snug and tables to the rear, where there is also a wood fire. There are two dining rooms upstairs. One ale is served sourced nationally.

Information for this venue is provided by the Northamptonshire Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
White Hart
Local Authority
Northampton District (B)
Last updated
05/08/2024
Last surveyed
21/01/2023
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
McManus Pub Company
Pub ID
NTH/230
Asset of Community Value

UPDATE 2022 See short description.A narrow three-storey building of 1790 built by the Shipman family and licensed as the White Hart. Refitted in late Victorian times with some 1938 changes the 3-room layout is still discernable today. The narrow bar has a late Victorian bar counter and bar back, 1930s wood panelled walls but in the mid 1980s a food bar was incorporated into the counter at the Drum Lane end and the bar back here is modern. Note the 2 sets of spirit cocks on the bar back which dispensed spirits, some of which were allegedly distilled in the attic. R = rum; BB = brown brandy; S = scotch; G = gin; IR = Irish whisky; PB = pale brandy. The vats were finally removed in the mid 1980s. CAMRA is only aware of four other sets of spirit cocks at Queens Head 'Turners Vault', Stockport, Greater Manchester; Haunch of Venison, Salisbury, Wiltshire; Bull, Paisley, Scotland; and Crown, Belfast, Northern Ireland - all CAMRA Heritage Pubs.

At the Drapery end is a small snug now accessed by a wide opening, but the original half doors are still there. At the Drum Lane end a wide doorway leads to what until the mid 1980s was the completely separate Barrel Bar which had a large bar counter compared to the size of the room. The bar fittings and a dumb waiter were removed when the local authority insisted that the pub added a gents WC so the old gents urinal which was opposite the new food bar was removed and a new gents built in part of the Barrel Bar. The original entrance doors are still there in Drum Lane with a barrel hanging over them. This room has a 1930s brick fireplace, old seating and other 1930s features such as 2 niches and a small roof over the corner where the bar was situated. Closed Sundays.

Amazingly, this pub was owned by Felinfoel Brewery from 1948 to 1985 as a result of Major Lewis having a first refusal on the retirement of the Shipman Brothers. Then the Lewis family sold it to pub company J T Davies (now called Brakspear's have bought that pub company in 2007 and renamed). It only ever sold beer in half pints until the early 1980s – even today the prices of beers are shown as the half pint one on the price list !

UPDATE 2022 See short description.A narrow three-storey building of 1790 built by the Shipman family and licensed as the White Hart. Refitted in late Victorian times with some 1938 changes the 3-room layout is still discernable today. The narrow bar has a late Victorian bar counter and bar back, 1930s wood panelled walls but in the mid 1980s a food bar was incorporated into the counter at the Drum Lane end and the bar back here is modern. Note the 2 sets of spirit cocks on the bar back which dispensed spirits, some of which were allegedly distilled in the attic. R = rum; BB = brown brandy; S = scotch; G = gin; IR = Irish whisky; PB = pale brandy. The vats were finally removed in the mid 1980s. CAMRA is only aware of four other sets of spirit cocks at Queens Head 'Turners Vault', Stockport, Greater Manchester; Haunch of Venison, Salisbury, Wiltshire; Bull, Paisley, Scotland; and Crown, Belfast, Northern Ireland - all CAMRA Heritage Pubs.

At the Drapery end is a small snug now accessed by a wide opening, but the original half doors are still there. At the Drum Lane end a wide doorway leads to what until the mid 1980s was the completely separate Barrel Bar which had a large bar counter compared to the size of the room. The bar fittings and a dumb waiter were removed when the local authority insisted that the pub added a gents WC so the old gents urinal which was opposite the new food bar was removed and a new gents built in part of the Barrel Bar. The original entrance doors are still there in Drum Lane with a barrel hanging over them. This room has a 1930s brick fireplace, old seating and other 1930s features such as 2 niches and a small roof over the corner where the bar was situated. Closed Sundays.

Amazingly, this pub was owned by Felinfoel Brewery from 1948 to 1985 as a result of Major Lewis having a first refusal on the retirement of the Shipman Brothers. Then the Lewis family sold it to pub company J T Davies (now called Brakspear's have bought that pub company in 2007 and renamed). It only ever sold beer in half pints until the early 1980s – even today the prices of beers are shown as the half pint one on the price list !

General information about historic pub interiors
Monday
Noon - 1:00am
Tuesday
Noon - 1:00am
Wednesday
Noon - 1:00am
Thursday
Noon - 1:00am
Friday
Noon - 2:00am
Saturday
Noon - 2:00am
Sunday
Noon - 1:00am
Monday
Noon - 9:00pm
Tuesday
Noon - 9:00pm
Wednesday
Noon - 9:00pm
Thursday
Noon - 9:00pm
Friday
Noon - 8:00pm
Saturday
Noon - 8:00pm
Sunday
Noon - 4:00pm

Current beers

This Pub serves 1 changing beer and 0 regular beers.

Source: National


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Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Events Events
DJ on Friday nights
Function Room Function Room
Real Fire Real Fire
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
Member Discount Scheme Member Discount Scheme
Transport
Close to bus routes (10m)
All bus routes using Bus Station
Nearby Station (800m)
Northampton

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