Packhorse, South Stoke

Two of the most important dates in the Packhorse story have come from the use of dendrochronology (the dating of events by studying the annual rings of trees). Samples were taken from the oldest beams and it was revealed that the timbers were from 1618 and 1635. Furthermore, during internal renovations in 2017, evidence of a thatched roof was discovered. In the late Elizabethan period, 1560 onwards, there was an upsurge in the building of ale houses across Britain. Some Church Houses were converted to ale houses, others were constructed from scratch, with the ale house providing a similar service to the modern day pub. The build date of 1618 fits in with this social phenomena, with later alterations taking place in 1635. The style of the ground floor mullions and doors also supports this date of construction. The pub would originally have been a two storey building with a thatched roof, with the top floor being adapted to provide accommodation in 1674. Parish records suggest it may well have been used as a poor house around this period. It was probably then used as a residence during the 18th century. The earliest record of its pub status comes from 1847 when it was described as a ‘beer house’, a function it retained until its closure in 2012.