The 600 year old Inn is situated in the heart of the settlement, near to the village green & just a stone's throw from the sea. Internally it has many seating areas & historic features. It can be very busy for food at weekends in summer. Smugglers' tunnels between the Bell & the beach have been uncovered, though apparently they have since collapsed. Walberswick can be accessed from Southwold via a footbridge.
Historic Interest
Historically may be listed as a hotel (1912 & 1922). A report in the Ipswich Journal in Mar 1890 states that : An announcement of the death on the 25th February 1890, Sarah Emily Veasy, aged 33 years, wife of Mr A Veasy, The Bell Inn, Walberswick. A picture of past times is painted by a letter written by the landlady to the licensing authorities on 13th October 1955: “Dear Sir, I hereby give you notice that I wish to apply for a music license at Southwold court on Monday November 21st. The reason being we hope to have television in the near future & may sometimes require it in the bar”. Photographs of this pub and more historical information about it can be found at suffolkcamra.co.uk/pubs/pub/984
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: II
The highlight of this characterful 17th century village pub is the room at the front-left with its uneven flagstone floor, superb curved L-shaped high backed settle and smaller settle in front of the old brick fireplace. The window bench seating is also old. The front-right quarry-tiled room has another old brick fireplace with copper hood and old window bench seating. Originally it was accessed via a door on the right as you enter the pub. The bar counter dates only from 1996. Two tiny rooms can be found off the passage around the settles - the one at the front was an office in the 1930s, while the one at the rear on a lower level was originally the cellar. A modern bar is at the rear with a new dining room on the far left. You can reach the pub from Southwold Harbour by using one of the few remaining hand operated ferry services; it operates daily in summer and at weekends in the low season.
The highlight of this characterful 17th century village pub is the uneven flagstone floor room at the front left with a superb curved L-shaped high backed settle and another smaller settle in the front of the old brick fireplace. The window bench seating is also old. The front right quarry tiled room has another old brick fireplace with copper hood and old window bench seating. Originally it was accessed via a door on the right as you enter the pub. The bar counter dates from 1996 - the original one was some 4 feet in front - look for the markings on the wall in the gap from the right hand room. There are two tiny rooms off the passage around the settles - the one at the front was an office in the 1930s, the one at the rear on a lower level was originally the cellar. There is a modern bar at the rear and new dining room to the far left. You can reach this pub by using one of the few hand operated ferry services left from Southwold Harbour and pub which operates daily in summer and at weekends in the low season.
This Pub serves 1 changing beer (Adnams seasonal) and 3 regular beers.
Bell Inn, Walberswick
Source: Local