WITH all the wet weather we have been having in Worcestershire, we take a look at some of the best cosy 'port in a storm' pubs with a strong nautical and maritime theme.
Although Worcestershire is landlocked (and many miles from the sea) it may be surprising to learn how many county pubs bring to life the world of ships, boats and the atmosphere of the Age of Sail.
This perhaps comes as no surprise when you consider that the county was built to some extent on water, the River Severn being a vital artery of trade for Trows carrying large cargos.
Due to the river being so shallow, gangs of men were employed to pull these barges up river to places such as Worcester, Bewdley and Bridgnorth.
Towns, cities and villages in Worcestershire including Worcester and Evesham owe their existence and evolution, in part, to the River Severn, the River Avon (rivers were the roads of our ancestors) and, of course, the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.
Not everyone can travel to Devon, Cornwall, Kent or Sussex to get a taste of life by the sea - so this might be the next best thing for Worcestershire's sea dogs, young and old.
With yellow weather warning after yellow weather warning issued by the Met Office, we look for some of the best pubs to provide a safe harbour during the deluge. These are some of the best pubs in Worcestershire with a connection to boats and ships, past or present.
(1) Ye Olde Anchor Inn, Upton
This pub, possibly more than any other in Worcestershire, conjures up the atmosphere of a creaking old galleon anchored by the River Severn.
Snug as a captain's cabin, this is a beautiful timber-framed pub with everything from ship's wheels, model sailing boats and duelling pistols. This is a nautical cabinet of curiosities for the eye to unlock. It may date from 1601 although the landlord believes it may be slightly later.
(2) Cocky Anchor, Broad Street, Worcester
Although this is one of Worcester's newest pubs, it feels much older, possibly because it is packed with nautical items from old-fashioned diving helmets to model ships and paintings from Britain's seafaring past. Even the bar has been designed to resemble the prow of a ship.
It also boasts possibly the quirkiest toilets in the world, the so-called clock bogs (toilets made from grandfather clocks). The building is tall like a crow's nest with a narrow facade with distinctive painted heads on the outside.
Owner Ian Paxton is descended from a cooper who worked on HMS Victory (Lord Nelson's flagship).
(3) Camp House Inn, Grimley
This old pub may not be as overtly 'nautical' as some other pubs but situated by the River Severn, it has a strong connection to boats and shipping. Indeed, it is a former boating inn and still has a fixed landing stage and affiliations to Worcester Rowing Club and a theatre company which travels by boat. A beam inside is reputed to be salvaged from a ship's timbers while the family who run it - the Wainwrights - ferry people across the flood water when the pub is surrounded so customers can still enjoy a pint. The family has been there 85 years but its history stretches back further than that to when defeated Royalists hid nearby in the reedbeds following the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651. The pub also has a rare 'Cromwellian licence'.
(4) The Anchor pub and kitchen, Diglis, Worcester
Right by Diglis Basin, the Anchor is strongly connected to Worcester's canals and waterways, retaining a strong atmosphere as a result.
The pub is open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am and 11pm and on Sunday between 9.30am and 10pm.
RECOMMENDED READING: Ye Olde Anchor Inn in Upton is riverside port in a storm
RECOMMENDED READING: Camp House Inn in Grimley is a breath taking riverside pub
(5) The Bridge at Tibberton
This is a picturesque pub that buds in spring and enters full bloom in summer when cyclists and boaters glide through the doors for a cooling pint or even a bite to eat.
A large beer garden at the pub in Plough Road commands a lovely view down onto the canal itself where visitors can watch boats and swans glide serenely by.
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