The History of The Old Ship Inn
The Old Ship in Bethel Street, Brighouse, is perhaps the most impressive licensed building in the town with its black and white mock Tudor frontage, stained glass windows and low wall coloured stone design.
Many assume the present Old Ship to be much older than is actually the case. A building on the site started life as a beerhouse around 1830 and became the Prince of Wales (the name by which it was known until early 2008) in 1871 when a full license was granted.
Halifax brewer Samuel Webster bought the Prince of Wales in 1890, and ran it as a successful tied house until a road improvement order by Brighouse Corporation in 1924 necessitated the demolition of the building.
It is thanks to Samuel Webster and its architects that we are left with such a distinctive building today. In planning the new building, it was stressed that the new design: "should express its (the building's) purpose without the blatant character that the town's public houses too often assumed".
The Tudor style was chosen as it was agreed that the work should, as far as possible, follow the methods of the medieval craftsmen. African oak timber was obtained from HMS Donegal, a wood-built battleship which was launched in 1865 and saw service around the world.
The new building was completed in 1927 and opened to members of the public for the first time in April of that year and, while the exterior was much admired, The symbolism of the pub's interior design will have bypassed the local drinkers over the years.
The four owls supporting the windows, for example, express four different forms of wisdom. From left to right they signify: The wisdom of the wise, the wisdom of the jester, the wisdom of the wine and, not least, the wisdom of women.
During the next half century the Prince of Wales continued to be a popular and successful hostelry serving the town drinkers who referred to it affectionately as "the Battleship", and indeed in 1988 it was chosen as one of Samuel Webster's flagship pubs during the company’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
However, just one year later, Lord Young introduced legislation designed to curb the monopoly of the big brewers and give more choice to consumers. Called Beer Orders, this legislation was fatally flawed and over the next decade it led to the meteoric rise of pubcos such as Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns and the total decimation of all the UK's major brewers.
The Prince of Wales quickly descended from Webster's flagship status to run-of-the-mill town centre boozer with uncertain, and frequently-changing ownership. Numerous changes of licensee followed one after the other until 2007, when the leasehold was acquired by a Brighouse-based company which decided that the old pub needed a total makeover and change of name.
11th December 2008 - Peter Crosby Live. A fun packed evening hosted by local singer Peter Crosby, celebrating Katie's Birthday, a great evening enjoyed by all, looking forward to having Peter back at the Old Ship Inn.
Many assume the present Old Ship to be much older than is actually the case. A building on the site started life as a beerhouse around 1830 and became the Prince of Wales (the name by which it was known until early 2008) in 1871 when a full license was granted.
Halifax brewer Samuel Webster bought the Prince of Wales in 1890, and ran it as a successful tied house until a road improvement order by Brighouse Corporation in 1924 necessitated the demolition of the building.
It is thanks to Samuel Webster and its architects that we are left with such a distinctive building today. In planning the new building, it was stressed that the new design: "should express its (the building's) purpose without the blatant character that the town's public houses too often assumed".
The Tudor style was chosen as it was agreed that the work should, as far as possible, follow the methods of the medieval craftsmen. African oak timber was obtained from HMS Donegal, a wood-built battleship which was launched in 1865 and saw service around the world.
The new building was completed in 1927 and opened to members of the public for the first time in April of that year and, while the exterior was much admired, The symbolism of the pub's interior design will have bypassed the local drinkers over the years.
The four owls supporting the windows, for example, express four different forms of wisdom. From left to right they signify: The wisdom of the wise, the wisdom of the jester, the wisdom of the wine and, not least, the wisdom of women.
During the next half century the Prince of Wales continued to be a popular and successful hostelry serving the town drinkers who referred to it affectionately as "the Battleship", and indeed in 1988 it was chosen as one of Samuel Webster's flagship pubs during the company’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
However, just one year later, Lord Young introduced legislation designed to curb the monopoly of the big brewers and give more choice to consumers. Called Beer Orders, this legislation was fatally flawed and over the next decade it led to the meteoric rise of pubcos such as Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns and the total decimation of all the UK's major brewers.
The Prince of Wales quickly descended from Webster's flagship status to run-of-the-mill town centre boozer with uncertain, and frequently-changing ownership. Numerous changes of licensee followed one after the other until 2007, when the leasehold was acquired by a Brighouse-based company which decided that the old pub needed a total makeover and change of name.
11th December 2008 - Peter Crosby Live. A fun packed evening hosted by local singer Peter Crosby, celebrating Katie's Birthday, a great evening enjoyed by all, looking forward to having Peter back at the Old Ship Inn.
Presently at The Old Ship Inn
Consequently, The Prince of Wales closed down for a few months before resurfacing as The Old Ship Inn with a completely new persona. All the historic features, such as the distinctive exterior woodwork and the interior paneling, were left in place but they were cleaned up and made more acceptable to 21st century pub goers.
A new flagged floor added to the atmosphere (the pub boasts that is has no Karaoke, Juke box or disco – just good beer and conversation) and a catering kitchen afforded the opportunity for lunchtime meals to be served. The changes worked and the "new" Old Ship soon began to attract a different clientele and regain some of its former glory. In 2008, popular couple Mark and Katie Feasey took the helm of the Old Ship, their first pub, after working for a large pubco for several years, and are now running the pub on a favourable free-of-tie agreement, enabling them to have a good selection of real ales on (6 pumps) with 3 rotating guest beers, and serving homemade lunches, they are now well set to continue this famous old pub's return to flagship status.
A new flagged floor added to the atmosphere (the pub boasts that is has no Karaoke, Juke box or disco – just good beer and conversation) and a catering kitchen afforded the opportunity for lunchtime meals to be served. The changes worked and the "new" Old Ship soon began to attract a different clientele and regain some of its former glory. In 2008, popular couple Mark and Katie Feasey took the helm of the Old Ship, their first pub, after working for a large pubco for several years, and are now running the pub on a favourable free-of-tie agreement, enabling them to have a good selection of real ales on (6 pumps) with 3 rotating guest beers, and serving homemade lunches, they are now well set to continue this famous old pub's return to flagship status.
The Old Ship Inn
We start the sale of our fine ale from:
Monday - Thursday 12:00pm - 11:00pm
Friday & Saturday 12:00pm - 12:00am
Sunday 12:00pm - 10:30pm
Monday - Thursday 12:00pm - 11:00pm
Friday & Saturday 12:00pm - 12:00am
Sunday 12:00pm - 10:30pm
Home to the FestivALE
Tel: 01484 719543
Our Food is served between the hours of 12.00pm - 14.30pm everyday
