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Picture source: MJ Crook

The Carpenters Arms was situated at 8 Nelson Street. This Morrells Brewery pub was built in 1860 and closed in the 1990s. Now converted into two houses.

I remember the Carpenters on Nelson Street from my student days at Oxford in the mid-1970s, backing on to the grounds of Worcester College, and run by an elderly couple, Ron and Else. It was basically a beer shop. The beer was straight from the barrel. The bar was very small, perhaps room for twelve or fifteen at a push - and the overspill area doubled up, I suspect, as the couple's parlour - furnished in that fashion, dated, with a large radiogram and a small sideboard.

Andrew Whitehead (April 2020)

Review from tantallon.org.uk:

Closed. They had a sale recently where all of the lurid baraphernalia went for very reasonable prices. And now we're down to only seven pubs in Jericho. It's going to be The Globe or The Bookbinders next. I hope it doesn't happen till after I write up. (4.vi.1999) Morrells Oxford Bitter £1.70 Morrells Varsity £1.90 Strongbow Cider £2.20 Guinness Stout £2.30 (30.vii.1998) Nachos £2.50 Desserts (Apple pie & ice cream, strawberries and cream) £1.00 (5.ix.1998) Mark Dickerson writes: The morbid among you can play a little game in Jericho; it's called Spot the Dead Pub. For a while it looked like the Carpenters' was going to go the way of the New Inn or the Bakers' Arms, as it was a way off the beaten track and would be almost empty on the few times I went there. (Incidentally, there used to be a Jim Needle cartoon of hundreds of regulars hiding as a student reviewer visited this pub. It wasn't me.) Instead, in have come the decorators. The walls are now washed red like the classier type of pizza joint; there's a comfy settee; and the bar stools have zebra-print material. It's a bit like sitting in a weird mix of the Lemon Tree and its infamous predecessor the Pink Pussy, not entirely unpleasant. The beer was fine on my visit. The clientele appeared to be almost-cool; possibly students, not "locals", whatever they are. I suspect you can score 10 points in the other Jericho game: Spot the Zombie Pub. Look out for Tapas in the Globe and crystals in the Bookbinders' soon. (2.vi.1998) Editorial note by Colin Batchelor: Yes. It's all true. They've painted the Gents (and the Ladies) silver, put in stone-effect linoleum on the floor and a leopard print chaise longue. When I came in there in June there was Ella Fitzgerald on the CD player (ooh) and a very fuzzy (silent) view of Holland versus Yugoslavia. But now they've removed the television, which is good, but unfortunately what's on the speakers has a strong dependence in who's been parachuted in to mind the bar. When I came in July, it was Will Smith. On the loudspeakers, not behind the bar. I think I'd have preferred him behind the bar, actually. The beermats are Morrells Varsity, in rough keeping with the colour scheme. Over by the fireplace (which is where the zebra print sofa is and the leopardskin print chaise longue used to be before it was replaced by another zebra print sofa) is a collection of Guardians and Observers from the past week. Shervin was very impressed by the way you could lean back on the bar stools without falling off. The nachos are good. I've tasted them. (5.ix.1998)

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Name Dates Comments Neil Cranham 1982/1984 In the pub on a daily basis, while a mature student at Ruskin College in Walton Street, just round the corner. A fantastic place. A great mix of locals, and students from Ruskin. It was OUR pub. Run by landlord Ken, and landlady Barbara(?), and their pub dog. Happy happy days.

Other Photos

Picture source: Movement80