AT a time when pubs across the country are closing down, a Droitwich watering hole is celebrating its 300th year .

The town’s Old Cock Inn, Friar Street, will this year mark 300 years since its first licence in 1712.

Back then it sold cider, ale and perry. A powerful brew called Lambswool, which was made from roasted apple pulp mixed with ale, was also popular.

The premises, based in one of the town’s oldest streets, boast a long and interesting history and an array of notable visitors. A window on the building’s first floor came from the mediaeval church of St Nicholas, which was also in Friar Street.

The church was damaged by fire in 1291 and during the Civil War before being cleared from the area in the 19th century. The inn is also reputed to be linked to Judge Jeffries, the infamous Hanging Judge, who is said to have held one of his bloody assizes there following the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion in 1685.

More recently the pub has seen a host of famous names stop in for a pint. They include TV entertainers Larry Grayson and Adrian Edmondson and singers Michael Ball and Clyde Spencer, from the Drifters.

Graham Leonard and Stuart Wilcox, who are the current licensees, aim to celebrate the 300-year milestone by staging themed events and activities. Among them will be a Georgian evening of food, drink and entertainment in September, a Judge Jeffries court room where the trials will be re-enacted in August, a time travel museum showcasing the pub’s history in November and a 2013 calendar to be published in December.

The pub will stage its main celebration on June 9 with the Friar Street Festival. The street will be closed off to allow for comedy, live music and other performances, and will be packed with magicians, fire breathers and stilt walkers.

The Old Cock will be providing food and drink on the street with a traditional hog roast and barbecue. The Norbury Theatre Players will entertain the crowds, along with the Droitwich Lions, the town fire service and Droitwich Community Choir.

It is hoped that the event will raise the profile of the historic street, as well as marking the pub’s 300 years.