Saturday 10 March 2012

England's oddest pub?

The Yew Tree Inn is almost in the middle of nowhere, standing on its own in the Staffordshire moorlands.
It's hard to work out where its trade comes from, as, even though this seventeenth-century pub is a huge attraction, it's miles from any town, and, frankly, makes no concessions to anything new-fangled (like family rooms, or hot food, or anything 'modern' like that).

So why is it an atraction? Because it's so weird. It's like an olde curiosity shop inside - with old pianolas, ancient & ill-assorted furniture, tiny snug rooms, Jacobean settles, an eccentric landlord (Alan East) and antiques on the walls (including Queen Victoria's knickers).
It regularly makes the Top Ten Oddest Pubs in England poll.

It makes the trip out to Cauldon (near Cauldon Lowe on the A52), even on a foreboding winter's day, quite special.

Link: Yew Tree Inn

3 comments:

  1. Sorry to correct you but the pub is in Cauldon not Cauldon Low(e)which is a mile or two away and oddly is much higher. Cracking pub with some superb beer when I visited recently on a vintage motor bike run. The landlord was very seriously ill earlier this year and the opening hours are restricted to evenings except for sat & Sun

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    1. Yes, you are dead right. I've corrected the main entry.
      To get to the pub you drive along the A52 and turn off at Cauldon Lowe, before arrving at Cauldon and the Yew Tree. Thoguh there is a church in Cauldon there are only half-a-dozen houses! (And the quarry of course). I think this is why many people think the Yew Tree must be in Cauldon Lowe.
      The actual low (ancient name for a mound) is Caldon Low - which is a hilly rise to the west of both settlements. It's all quite confusing...

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  2. We travel 2 or 3 times a year from West Wales for a pint and pie at the Yew Tree. Worth the effort. Good beer, good pork pies. Shame if you fancy something else mind.

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