I noticed today that the sign at the White Horse Pub in Ock Street has changed from the head of a white horse to The White Horse – the ancient monument near the Ridgeway, after which the Vale of the White Horse is named.
The pub has been there since at least 1830, when mentioned in the Pigots Directory. It looks a typical Ock Street building and is one of only two pubs now along Ock Street. The Morris Dancers used to have far more to dance at.
I don’t know what sort of horse the original landlord of the White Horse intended. Wikipedia says ‘ White Horse: the sign of the House of Hanover, adopted by many eighteenth-century inns to demonstrate loyalty to the new Royal dynasty.’
But in these changed times the new pub sign looks very nice to me.
Last week I was at Wantage and passed the prominent sign of the recently refurbished Abingdon Arms. The latest comment on facebook says ‘Brilliant honest to goodness PUB! Does exactly what it says on the tin. Wish there were more places like this and not the Slug and Cucumber brigade!’
Your mention that there were only 2 pubs left in Ock Street prompted me to visit http://www.closedpubs.co.uk/oxfordshire/abingdon.html . It is a shame but, I suppose, not surprising, that so many of the pubs I knew when I lived in Abingdon have closed.
That’s a very interesting site. Sad that so many pubs have gone. Didn’t there used to be a pub on the corner of the Vineyard and Stert Street, perhaps I didn’t recognise it on the list.
Hi I stayed at the white horse in Abingdon with my mum and sisters the landlord / owner George moran was a sort of uncle, he was my younger sister mitzi, godfather, my mum and my two sisters ended up living in Stert street abingdon I went to larkmead school and decided to go to eek sorry can’t remember name at mo but just remembered I ended up going to fitzharris and was living in a maisonette opposite across the green and then some bungalows were built on the green directly opposite the school, George moran was a survier from the titanic were he was a very young steward
It is a shame but it is like every other busines, times change and businesses have to change with them. The drink driving laws have detered many people from going to pubs. The clientel has changed from mainly men wanting a drink after a physical job to a family or eating out experience. Successful pubs offer food and facilities for children and probably a play area.
I went into the White Horse recently. It was for the first time in years. I thought it was rather good. It exceeded all expectations.
I think it was called the Lamb and Flag
GRJ – you are right. I remember The Lamb & Flag, it was at 1 Vineyard. Comfirmation and a photograph c. 1960 courtesy of another pub info website:- https://pubshistory.com/Berkshire/Abingdon/LambFlag.shtml .
That’s the one. Nice photo and another interesting website.
Fully agree with Nick – White Horse definitely improved recently. Well done to the friendly publican and staff