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Date of photo: 2017	Photo: © Jo Turner
The Shoulder Of Mutton was originally situated at 124-126 High Street (both buildings in the above photo). This pub closed in the 1960s by which time it was located in the left hand building only. It is now in residential use.
Old Shoulder House 126 and 124 High Street, two grade-II* listed buildings probably 16th century and later. Clearly once a public house it was called The Shoulder of Mutton that closed probably in the 1960s as parish records show it was an antique shop in 1968. Tolly Cobbold agreements existed for the pub in 1924 and 1961. A pub is recorded here from at least 1796 when the Sporting Magazine records a wager over a run from the Shoulder-of-Mutton Inn to the Fox in Kaydon. A Masonic 'Lodge of Virtue and Silence' is recorded at the pub established in 1811 and moving to the White Lion Inn in 1825/6 when the Shoulder's tenant died. A Gazetteer of 1844 records an 'Omnibus to Ipswich, from the Shoulder of Mutton at 9 morng. except Sunday'; in view of the yard behind, did the bus replace a coach and suggest it was a coaching inn? My earliest directory for 1839 lists it under Taverns and Public Houses though. In 2021 the pub is indicated as permanently closed. Directory entries include; 1839 Thomas Mott; 1855 William Mott (& cattle dealer); 1869 Thomas Last; 1891-1892 George Clarke; 1900 Mrs Ellen Clarke; 1901 no victualler given; 1912 Robert Thomas Clarke.
Steve Turner (November 2021)
Listed building details:
Probably C16 and later. 2 storey, timber-framed and plastered, roofs tiled, cross wing at south end with projecting upper storey. No 126 has old rectangular chimney stack. Upper windows, old leaded casements of 4, 3 and 2 lights. Ground floor windows, all sashes with glazing bars; at the south end a bay built under projecting upper storey, and another bay to No 126 has modillion cornice. 2 doors, that to No 124 to centre right, and that to No 126 to centre left opposite stack. All exterior walls covered in colourwashed pebble-dash.
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Other Photos
Picture source: Darkstar