Our history

Offenham Inn is 500 Years Old

Reputed to have been a smugglers' rendezvous

A resting place for bargees when Avon was "Hive of Industry"

A noted Vale of Evesham landmark for at least five centuries, during which it has provided a welcome resting-place for the bargemen in times when the Avon was a hive of industry and believed, too, to have been a rendezvous for smugglers-such is the picturesque Fish and Anchor Inn (now known as the The Fish at Offenham), a black and white half timbered building, which nestles in a bend of the river at the foot of the steep hill that links the village of Offenham with the main Stratford-on-Avon and Birmingham roads.

The village inn is usually considered to be the centre of village life, and is therefore somewhat surprising to find the Fish at Offenham, standing on the river bank on the Offenham Cleeve Prior road, at least a mile from the hub of the former village. On delving into its past history, how-ever, it was discovered several reasons which served to justify the establishment in this rather isolated position.

 

Nearly three centuries

Known to be at least 500 years old, the inn belonged to the Aldington family for nearly three centuries until 1880.

In bygone times when the Avon was a navigable river, there was a great deal of traffic up and down between Gloucester, Tewkesbury, and Stratford, and obviously any riverside hostelry sited along the route provided a welcome resting place for the hard working bargees.

At one time there were coal wharves and a lime kiln beside the inn, for coal was brought up the river from Gloucester and sold in exchange for wheat, corn, and other produce from the surrounding market garden land.

 

Many commodities seem to have passed this way, including wool from the famous Cotswold sheep, and stories from Cotswold quarries which were sent to the North of England.

 

River Transport

From Offenham to Cleeve was one of the old coaching routes although naturally there was a fair amount of horse-drawn traffic passing by, and in fact, untill recently the old horse chains were still in position on the walls and the old mounting block was standing at the front of the inn.

With the pasong of the years the river traffic slowly disappeared and another type of trade emerged. The trippers and the Fishermen. With the advent of the present century Evesham's fame as a local beauty spot began to spread and doubtless pleasure seekers found few more pleasant ways of spending an afternoon tan a trip up the river to the Fish and Anchor where the ladies could enjoy tea in the garden and the gents a quiet hour's fishing.

 

Old World Atmosphere

Although extensive alterations have been made to the Inn the previous lcensee, Mr Henry J. Gallent, has preserved the hsterly's origianal old-world atmosphere as much as possible. A long low cream-coloured building, with a black and white half-timbered effect and gabled windows, the inn remains there facing the river. little changed in outward appearance to what it was two, or even three hundred years ago. Even the latticed windows add to that graceful charm wich seems to surround so many of the buildings in a county renowned for its rural beauty.

 

The interior of the inn is no dissappointment either, and it is difficult to imagine that the well furnished lounge bar with its brightly gleaming brasses was actually once part of the stables and out-houses.

 

More information comming soon!!!