Harwich’s Ale Trail has become a firm favourite for beer lovers and this year’s event will offer even more of a reason to visit Historic Harwich for the five day event.
The Harwich Ale Trail, which offers a wide range of real ales and real ciders in five of Harwich’s historic pubs and a further two pubs in Dovercourt, will run from Thursday 2nd May to Monday 6th May inclusive and involves the Alma Inn, the Globe, the New Bell, the Stingray and the Crown Post in Harwich along with the Royal Oak and Kingsway Hall in Dovercourt.
Most visitors love the opportunity to drink quality real ales in the centuries old pubs of Historic Harwich but, on Saturday 4th May the history of Harwich’s pubs will be brought to life with two special events within the Ale Trail.
At 11.30AM the Victoria County History Essex, the Harwich Town Museum and the Harwich Society will join forces to present ‘Harwich’s pubs – A time traveller’s guide at Harwich’s historic cinema, the Electric Palace. This talk will begin with Dr Chris Thornton of the VCH talking on medieval brewing and Harwich’s pubs before David Whittle from the Harwich Town Museum and Richard Oxborrow from the Harwich Society take over to attempt to name the 94 pubs known to have existed on 48 different sites in Harwich. By the time this event ends at 1PM everyone will be ready for a drink and there will be 90 minutes to refresh before the Harwich Society leads a guided pub walk of Historic Harwich leaving from the Ha’penny Pier Visitor Centre at 2.30PM. Both the talk and the walk are free of charge.
A series of ‘Little Pub Books’ about Harwich’s historic pubs is presently being written and the 7th in the series will be launched at the Ale Trail. The subject of the latest book is Sam’s Wine Bar which is a timber framed Tudor building that, during the 17th and 18th century was a pub named the Rose and Crown.
Richard Oxborrow says, “Harwich is still blessed with wonderful pubs in centuries old buildings and strolling around the old town from pub to pub is a true pleasure. Harwich’s Ale Trail expands on the choice of ales and ciders usually available and the combination of real ale and real history will certainly make it worth a visit.”
For further information please contact:
Richard Oxborrow on 07920 874706
