Home > Devon > Sidmouth > Old Ship Inn Old Ship Inn

Picture source: Hania Franek

The Old Ship Inn was situated on Old Fore Street. This was the oldest pub in Sidmouth, dating back to 1350., and grade-II listed. It was though to be a monastery before becoming a pub. In the 1930s & 40s it was a guest house then reverted back to being a pub. In June 2011 it closed and was turned into a coffee shop.

Source: Les Howard

I remember that The Old Ship was a pub in the 1970s, but at some time in the 1980s it was for a while an antique shop before reverting to being a pub again, which it remained until recently becoming Costa. English Heritage insisted upon removing the Victorian "black & white" style of the interior furnishings and returning them to a more "natural" finish, which (surprise!) coincides perfectly with the kind of modern decor that suits Costa.

Peter Wilton (December 2015)

My parents bought a working third share of the old ship in 1970 or 1971, when I was about 10 yrs old. At the time of moving the pub was not a pub but a bed and breakfast with a tea shop offering breakfast, morning coffee and afternoon teas. My parents bought out their 2 silent partners and then sought to get the building relicensed as a pub which they then ran for several years as a successful pub. I used to enjoy "folk week" every august when the place was full and buzzing of folkies. My dad decided for some reason to close as a pub and converted it to a antique market, he offered dealers table space and generated an income from renting the spaces. He changed his mind, and after a hard battle managed to restore the pub status back. I am not sure of the dates of these changes. He retired in 1986, but kept ownership, leasing it for the next 20 years, at the end it was sold to the Tennant, and they in-turn sold it to become the Costa it is today.

Mark Bradley (January 2021)

Listed building details:

Late C18. 2 storeys stucco faced. 3 windows 1st floor, slightly recessed sashes in thin frames with later glazing. Ground floor has tripartite and single sash windows, glazing bars intact. Main entrance has good doorcase with fluted Tuscan pilasters, "Chinoiserie" fretted frieze and pediment. Double doors of 6 flush and fielded panels, 2 glazed. Side entrance to right has marginal glazed door with bottom panel, thin flanking pilasters, frieze and cornice over.

Do you have any anecdotes, historical information, updates or photos of this pub? Become a contributor by submitting them here. Like this site? Follow us on

Make email contact with other ex-customers and landlords of this pub by adding your details to this page.

Other Photos

Picture source: Pete Dakin