Stag on the River, Eashing

Grade II listed building dating back to the early 1700s. In 1771 William Gill sold the "Tenement and dwelling house near the Mill and Mill gate.... and dwelling house to the end of the said gate out to the King's highway - late in the occupation of David Coles." The house was frequented by travellers on the London to Portsmouth road which formerly passed through Little Eashing, crossing the ancient bridge a hundred yards down river. Recent excavations at the river end of the pub have revealed foundations of stabling. Both pub and mill changed hands a number of time, but the last family to own the pub were the Blackmans. In 1850 George Blackman purchased the premises for £700, taking over at the same time brewing equipment valued at £47.15.6d. An inventory of the brewery is still preserved. In 1894 Frederick Blackman and his mortgagees sold the Stag to Messers. Lascelles and Tickner of Guildford, but the two cottages, which stood on the site of the present forecourt were not sold to the brewery by the Mitchan Wool Company until 1918. It was then possible to demolish the cottages and open up the front of the pub to daylight and to improve access to the Mill. A large fire in 1932 almost brought an end to the Stag, but firemen were able to stop the flames reaching the pub. Further trouble came in 1968 with the worst flooding in living memory. Tablets in the walls of the bar record the high water mark on 16th September that year. (taken from article on pub wall.) Further information about the pub's former brewery can be found at www.breweryhistory.com/journal/archive/111/bh-111-003.html