It is safe to say without risk of contradiction that not many pubs have their own dungeon or can claim to have taken centre stage during a king's dramatic escape from a final bloody battle.
But in that regard, The King Charles House in New Street in Worcester is a pub that stands apart as one of the jewels in England's crown, a place of carved devils, a dark dungeon and a defeated king.
Old and crooked she may be, scarred by the scythe of Father Time and scorched by the ravages of fire, but this pub's beauty is as yet undimmed. She still has her regal and resplendent air.
To walk into the King Charles is to walk in the footsteps of Charles II as he fled the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651, the last battle of the English Civil War. Cromwell's enemies said his victory was secured by a pact with the Devil in nearby Perry Wood.
Nestled within the crumbling remains of Worcester's medieval city walls, such as remains of them, the bowed timbers of this former merchant's house, which dates back to 1577 (when Queen Elizabeth sat on England's throne), are soaked in history.
Look to your left as you walk in and you will see the magnificent fireplace and come face-to-face with sinister carved devils wielding pitchforks and apparently tormenting some diners (or possibly gamblers). One man is even seen cowering in terror under a table.
Dating from 1634, the fireplace was removed from Sidbury House, demolished like so many others during the catastrophic modernist blitz of the 1960s where town planners showed moderately less discernment than the Luftwaffe.
The pub may be old but it is by no means backward-looking thanks to dynamic landlord Darren Yong who has been at the helm for the last two years with the pub leased from Craddock's for the next 16 years.
The 44-year-old says the King Charles used to be considered a 'pie and mash pub' and, while it still serves pies, the menu has expanded considerably to include Sunday lunches (braised lamb shank, roast Herefordshire beef, braised beef nugget, roasted pork loin, crackling and stuffing and a nut roast).
Other choices include chicken Caesar salad, chicken and bacon salad and 'The King Ploughman's'.
They serve now between 150 and 180 people on a Sunday.
"I think ours is by far the best Sunday roast in Worcester," said Mr Yong. Married to a community midwife, Joanna Yong, he says the team pride themselves on making everyone welcome, including young families.
Improvements have seen a rising rating on Tripadvisor (4.5 rating after 647 reviews) and Dish Cult (4.93 rating), a turnaround he says could not have been achieved without his close-knit team, including manageress Jess Jones and his son (and chef), Zachary.
The hope is that they can draw in customers all year round (not just in the cosy winter months when people love to sit by the fire).
Now a pavement licence has been granted they are hoping to seat 10 people outside (I'm told the carpenter's arrival is imminent). Customers could be sitting outside as early as next week which Mr Yong hopes will add to the pub's appeal in summer.
They have 10 real ale taps and are planning to bring in Jeremy Clarkson's Hawkstone Lager.
After chatting with Mr Clarkson, Mr Yong said the former Top Gear presenter (who has made headlines with Clarkson's Farm), said something along the lines of 'thanks for helping with world domination'.
Ales on offer include offerings from local breweries such as Hobsons (The Champion and Best Bitter) and Fixed Wheel Brewery's (No Brakes IPA and G-Whizz Pale Ale). Salopian's Golden Thread has also proved a popular choice. Prices range from £4.60 to £6 per pint.
The pub has been visited by a number of famous people - Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and Mark Williams, known for playing Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter films (not to mention The Fast Show and Father Brown).
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Paranormal investigators have also been drawn here and Mr Yong said some customers have confessed to 'a spooky feeling' inside the pub which has been a merchant's house, a restaurant and an antique shop.
He joked that the 'oubliette', possibly a salt or ice cellar, is where customers go who do not pay their bills. Be assured, however, the skeleton inside is not real and there is no need for West Mercia Police to launch a murder investigation.
"I've been down there. It's claustrophobic. You can't even lie flat and you have to get a ladder to get out. It's a massive talking point. People book and say 'can you sit me near he dungeon?' Children love it," he said.
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