Sun Street and Cowfairlands pubs BEFORE we leave Sun Street, there is the opportunity to review surrounding public houses. The Sun Inn closed in 1836 and by 1856 there were no less than 13 pubs within a few hundred yards of The Royal Oak Inn. There was

Sun Street and Cowfairlands pubs

BEFORE we leave Sun Street, there is the opportunity to review surrounding public houses.

The Sun Inn closed in 1836 and by 1856 there were no less than 13 pubs within a few hundred yards of The Royal Oak Inn.

There was the Rising Sun at 38 Sun Street, which opened as a beerhouse in 1836. The pub was rebuilt in 1925 leaving two adjoining cottages. These were restored in 2000.

Just a few yards along at 21 Sun Street, The Horse and Jockey was fully licensed by 1822 although the building was much older.

The Horse and Jockey Close, containing two acres of meadowland on the corner of Sun Street and Fairfield Road was sold in 1881 and is now residential.

The pub closed in 1920 and the building was demolished about 1960.

At the part of Sun Street known as Anchor End there were two pubs.

Number 51, The Golden Lion, an ancient building at the junction with St John's Street, was converted into a beerhouse by 1841.

It closed in 1956 and is now The Viceroy Restaurant, much refurbished and unrecognisable as the former pub.

The Anchor opposite was another ancient building which was fully licensed.

It burned down in 1783 and was rebuilt in 1787.

After closing in 1909, it became a butchers' shop.

The whole of this area was redeveloped in the 1960s and a new house and shop was built on the site.

It is now Fusions UK Ltd at 66-68 Sun Street.

The Steamer, at 42 Cowfairlands, was in use as an off licence and common lodging house by 1851 and was nicknamed The Pat and Can.

It closed in 1938.

Nearby at Mount Pleasant, beside The Long Twitchell, from 1839 there was the Black Horse off licence, beer house and grocers shop.

The beerhouse was delicensed in 1907, but the grocers shop traded up to the early 1940s.

A W Watkin Ltd took over a large part of Cowfairlands in the 1950s and 60s and this was redeveloped recently.

Next week: the next seven pubs along Shortmead Street

Up my street

THE ROWLANDS

The Rowlands comes off Kitelands Road, which connects London Road with Holme Court Avenue. Its name comes from the name of an old field.