Situated in Old Leigh fishing village overlooking the Thames estuary, this 16th-century pub has two small bars with bare floorboards and beamed ceilings. The walls are decorated with local village and fishing pictures. It has a small garden to one side and a larger seating area to the front which is shared with a seafood merchant. It offers up to six real ales with three regulars and three guests from the Nicholson's list. A short walk from Leigh-on-Sea station.
Historic Interest
Timber framed pub in Conservation Area
Late 16th-century timber framed which was re-fronted in brick in the late 19th century. The three room layoit remains but the third room was converted to a kitchen in recent times. The off sales as you enter did until recently have a short bench attached to dado panelling but this has now been ripped out and it is now difficult to see that an off-sales actually existed here.. The left hand bar has some old dado panelling and bay window seating, a large inglenook-style but modernised fireplace and a half-timbered rear wall. The bar counter is more like a hatch and is old, as indicated by the witness of two removed handpumps.
The right hand bar has a 1930s style fielded panelled counter and more old dado with seating attached. The brick fireplace is modern, as is the bar top; the carved bar back is not easy to date. A passageway runs down the rear and has a dado of old tongue and groove panelling. The left hand room did until recently have a door with a '3' on it and could have been the original cellar much is now part of the kitchen facilities. The kitchen on the right was once a pub room. There was a door on the far left with a sign 'Off Sales' which leads to the cellar, but this is no longer visible.
In the summer this pub with its seating area (was the pub car park) next to the sea front position is incredibly popular so they sell bottles from fridges including soft drinks and even wine from the left hand exterior door. There was a club room upstairs - the door is still there on the right hand side of the pub near the outside ladies' and gents'. Listed description states 'a first storey room has a good bolection moulded fire surround'.
Late 16th-century timber framed which was re-fronted in brick in the late 19th century. The three room layoit remains but the third room was converted to a kitchen in recent times. The off sales as you enter did until recently have a short bench attached to dado panelling but this has now been ripped out and it is now difficult to see that an off-sales actually existed here.. The left hand bar has some old dado panelling and bay window seating, a large inglenook-style but modernised fireplace and a half-timbered rear wall. The bar counter is more like a hatch and is old, as indicated by the witness of two removed handpumps.
The right hand bar has a 1930s style fielded panelled counter and more old dado with seating attached. The brick fireplace is modern, as is the bar top; the carved bar back is not easy to date. A passageway runs down the rear and has a dado of old tongue and groove panelling. The left hand room did until recently have a door with a '3' on it and could have been the original cellar much is now part of the kitchen facilities. The kitchen on the right was once a pub room. There was a door on the far left with a sign 'Off Sales' which leads to the cellar, but this is no longer visible.
In the summer this pub with its seating area (was the pub car park) next to the sea front position is incredibly popular so they sell bottles from fridges including soft drinks and even wine from the left hand exterior door. There was a club room upstairs - the door is still there on the right hand side of the pub near the outside ladies' and gents'. Listed description states 'a first storey room has a good bolection moulded fire surround'.
This Pub serves 3 changing beers and 3 regular beers.
Crooked Billet, Leigh-on-Sea
Source: Regional