History of The Jolly Sailor Inn

The pub was built in 1516 and sat on the banks of the river.

Until about 120 years ago sea vessels used to moor right alongside the old part of the building, until land was reclaimed allowing for cottages adjacent to the pub to be built.

The Jolly was a regular smugglers’ haunt. There have been many stories of smuggling, Press Ganging and Crimping (the practice of kidnapping people to serve as sailors by coercive techniques such as trickery, intimidation, or violence).

One such story is that ,during an unexpected raid by the Customs Officers, the quick-thinking landlady sat on an illicit keg of alcohol, thus concealing it beneath her petticoats and voluminous skirt. While the Customs Officers searched the premises, she calmly knitted, and they would not dare ask to see under a lady's skirt!

The pub as you see it today was two separate buildings until the early to mid 1900's.

In the 1800's the old shack that was to the left of The Jolly was removed and a two storey building was erected (Glendale). This was living quarters and a business for a local family. We believe it was some form of bakery/grocers (we recently found an old bakers oven behind the render of the Family Room Cosy Corner wall).

Later on, an extra storey was added to the building, but it was still separate from the pub.

Around the 1930's, the brewery at the time bought the building and it became part of the pub. The bar was knocked through and extended through to the old shop area. The upper floors became living quarters for the publicans.

As late as 1990's to 2000's the rooms above the family room became a B&B.

Watch a great interview with Mr Ernie Collings from 1973. Ernie was a local in The Jolly from the very early 1900's...

The Sign

For many years, the Jolly's sign has been either just a simple "The Jolly Sailor Inn" or the image of a ship. In the late 90's/early 2000's it was changed to a sailor from the HMS Pint Pot drinking an ale. This has been well loved and can still be found in The Jolly today.



However, on taking over the pub, we wanted the new sign to reflect both the old times and the new days.

On the new sign is an image of the HMS Indefatigable sailing on a calm sea at sunset.

This links perfectly to the the theme of old and new - it has the emblem of a ship, bringing back the days of old, and yet it is refreshing and vibrant, mirroring the energy in the pub.

It also links nicely to the beam above the main bar inside the pub... the ship on the sign is the very ship the beam above the main bar is from!