MAST.jpg (19245 bytes)

EGON TOASTE's Wassailled Hostelries Guide

Wherein Egon Toaste and his trusty navigator Arthur Boutfayse attempt to recount the travels and travailles of many evenings progress from hostelry to hostelry. There is a key - see below

STORTFOLK HOMEPAGE or BBT Site

TOUR (& Rough Location) SIGN of the HOUSE Notes & Ratings
ASH VALE - 16/12/1999 £187 in in the hat
Wareside Chequers K,J,M,SBSB - home pub for the Ashvale Longsword
  White Horse M,SB
Widford The Bell SB,M
Much Hadham Jolly Waggoners K,JJ,MM,SB - Mince Pies Hot! (NB: off the list in 2000 (mbp))
  Crown J,SBSBM
  Bulls Head MM,SBSB
Little Hadham Nags Head MMM,SB
Standon Bell SB,J
  Star J,M,SB
Puckeridge Crown & Falcon M,SBSB
     
MANUDEN TOUR 1999 £182.18 in the hat - a first night record ?
Manuden Yew Tree Inn SBSB,MM,J
Clavering Cricketers MMM,SBSB,J - famed for dinners. Busy but friendly
  Fox & Hounds MM,SBSB,J - Directors in good shape. Jean's Birthday.
Brent Pelham Black Horse SB,J - No go in 99 due to decent live band & dance. Will call again in 2000 as natives very friendly.
Stocking Pelham Cock SBSB - very popular.
Furneaux Pelham Brewery Tap SBSB,M - Once the home of Rayments - now Greene King
Hazel End Three Horseshoes K,SBSB,MM,J- convivial. (ie full of fundraising topers) - excellent fun
A11 Tour: 17/12/1999 £190.43 in the hat
Elsenham The Crown MMM,SBSB,JJJ - Barbara's Gin & Marmalade Ice Cream has an unusual and wonderous effect on Suggers.
Henham The Cock MM,SBSB - Live band but we were still allowed in!
Newport The Coach & Horses MM,SBSB,J - lots of diners all having an Excellent Time
  The White Horse SBSB, small but very friendly.
Quendon The Chequers MM,SBSB,J
Rickling Green The Cricketers K,JJ,MMM,SBSB - Many thanks to the lady who donated the flashy earrings with the flashy lights in them.
     
Hatfield Heath Tour: 11/12/1999 £240.13 in the hat
HATFIELD BROAD OAK The Cock N,MM - Woodfords Wherry etc... truly excellent. Good watering hole !
  Dukes Head MMM,SBSB,
HATFIELD HEATH Thatchers SBSBSB,MM,J - Spitfire went down like silken nectar
  Stag M,SB
  White Horse M,SB
Hallingbury Sutton Arms JJ,SBSB,MM -
  George J,SBSB,MMM. Very convivial - Much Real Ale was drunk (& so were Sawbridgeworth 41 club)
SHEERING Crown, free house MM,SBSB,J - Good Adnams.
  Cock free house SBSB,MM,
SAWBRIDGEWORTH 18/12/1999 £251.82 in the hat
West Road Three Horseshoes SB,M
High Wych Rising Sun N,KKK - world-renowned !
  Half Moon SB, MM - lovely little pub with a great atmosphere
Sawbo City Hand & Crown MM,SBSB,J - favourite stop for a wet.
  Bell SB,KKK,J - Ridleys Tiddley in nice order. Heaving.
  Market House SB,SB,MMM,J- good place for a meal out. Cordon Bleu Restaurant.
  King William IV SB,SB,M - Directors sold. Birthday Party - boy did they know how to party as well.
  Queen's Head SB,M - very friendly
  George IV SB,SB,KKK - Gladsone (McMullens) in good order (when available)
  Good Intent SBSB,M - nice pub for a good pint.
  The Gate SBSBSB - nearly N. Very good range of Ales.*** Awarded N by Suggers on subsequent Sunday Lunch - to be ratified next wassail. ***
  The Railway SBSB - Adnams was in Fine Condition
  The Bull SB,M - just re-opened 1999 after a long-ish refurb. Worth a visit.Could not sing in 1999 but manager allowed collection, so still on the list !
  The White Horse Good pub, but too noisy to wassail this year. The house has never shown us any discourtesy (we just didn't ask) so included here for completeness. Great atmosphere for the twenty-something party set.
    Editors Note:  in case you hadn't noticed,  Sawbo is a very dangerous place for a pub crawl  In addition to the houses there are a couple or six excellent caffs -  French, Chinese, Indian (x2) & a Mexican Fun Bar, plus take-aways. And late (-ish) trains / good taxis.

TOP      HOME

KEY to the ratings: - Hostelries may qualify under more than one heading. All hostelries mentioned are deemed to be good & sufficient places of rest, recreation and enjoyment. Ratings are for especial competence in one or more areas.

Sad to report, there are some establishments where we have been denied the Comfort of the House. They will never appear here, nor will they generally be asked again.

Ratings are entirely at the discretion of the Association and can be altered at Will, provided he shows up. Landlords who feel they have been unfairly graded should appeal formally to the Grand Court of the Wassail Branch, enclosing grounds for appeal on a postcard, together with a stamped & addressed barrel of best.

M (= Macs)

M : Good Food. Bar Snacks. Egg & Chips done. MM: LOTS of food. All very tastyMMM: Aroma of Good Roast Beef, Australian-grade steaks or home-made pie. Array of Dangerous Puddings &/or Throwing Trifles in cabinet. MMMM: Groaning Board. Fly-button damage to ceiling. Mr Creosote ate here.

J (=Jacquis)

J: More than usually Friendly or own parrot. JJ: Chat-up merchants   JJJ: Made coffee, told jokes, made all the ladies giggle & blush. Don't smoke over you. JJJJ: Royal Liberty Morris. All maidens carried lustily away.

K (=Kevins)

K: Folkies KK: Singing tolerated & joined in with  KKK: Jams encouraged and/or  landlord posesses Goaty Voice & will use it. KKKK: Tour continued without Real Folkies, who now live there permanently.

SB (=Suggers-Brain)

SB - Good Ale. Awarded as standard. We wouldn't grace any establishment where it wasn't. SBSB - Exceptionally Good Ale, or a fine cellar. SBSBSB - Very Good Ale at reasonable cost in convivial surroundings. SBSBSBBSSSBBBSSSSS - More than SBSB. Almost impossible to enunciateSee N below

N (=Nigel)

A Nigel indicates the prescence of the rarest and very finest Real English Ale. A Hero of a Cellarman. And proper facilities in which to savour the brew. Only one Nigel is ever awarded (per pub), as there is only one Nigel.

 


Back To Top of the Page

Stortfolk Website: