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Picture source: Dave Woodhead

The Hop Pole was in the Good Beer Guide until 1998 and was in their National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors

Source: Russell Judge

The Hop Pole was run by Bert - an old, bearded bachelor who had been born in the pub in 1929 and died in it about 70 years later. At the end, it must have been the most ‘unspoilt’ pub in the country, consisting of a room with some tip-up seats and something from Wood’s Brewery from a barrel in the kitchen. The garden had obviously been the pride-and-joy of his mother but was completely overgrown and looked on to a grubbed-out orchard with sheep. One night he was burgled and the shock killed him. A few years ago the old farmhouse-cum-pub was pulled down and faceless houses for commuters are now in its place.

Dave Woodhead (December 2012)

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