the white horse (aka the white house)
An example of an early ale house. Click on the image for more information on beer and ale house history
The first record of a village alehouse in Dulcote is in 1696, when John West an "inn-holder" of Wells leased the ale house beside the west mill. In such a tiny community as Dulcote, it is likely that Mr. West served his beer from a room in this house, and that this early-style pub would have been the social hub of the working community.
Both the lease of 1696 and the survey of Dulcote about 1785 lists the White Horse Inn and Garden as the property of the Vicars of Wells. A map dated 1829 plots the White Horse Inn, Court and Garden, in the very spot where White House sits today, also identifies the land as "leasehold for lives" meaning land leased out to a tenant and his/her heirs over the course of several specified generations. In an indenture date July 6, 1829, Reverend Thomas Coney of Dover, Kent is listed as the owner. By the mid-nineteenth century, a Tudway lease The White Horse Inn had become the leased property of the Tudway family and was re-leased by the Tudways to others. The use of the term "inn" certainly suggests that accommodation was offered as well.
An interesting snippet associated with The White Horse is the Sunday service restrictions. One condition in the lease of 1829 is that the Inn may not serve "refreshments Beer Wine Spirits or other Liquors on Sundays to any person or persons whatever except strangers who may be traveling and requiring such refreshment."
The White Horse is advertised in trade directories between 1889 and 1914 in Dulcote. At this time it is listed as a public house not an inn. The proprietors of this pub were Richard and Sarah Pointing. The Pointing family operated a butcher's business in Wells at the same time as they ran this pub. Although the Pointing family leased the White Horse from Tudway for many years, they finally purchased it in a 1913 auction. The auction description of the building includes the following details . . .
"The dwelling house is built of stone with tiled roof; parlour, tap-room, cellar, kitchen, larder, W.C, 4 bedrooms.
The outbuildings are stone -- stables for 7, pigsty, trap-house, garden, meal-house and store.
The annual rent = £18"
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Year
1696 1741 1841 1851 1861 1889 1913 |
Innkeepers/Publicans of Historical Record in Dulco
John West (also rented west mill) John Champion (implied only by court record) William Tanner (publican); William Churchouse (beerhouse keeper William Churchouse Ann Churchouse Richard Pointing Sarah Pointing (owner/operator) |
The White Horse Today
Although this historical building has changed names in modern times, the new owners have returned its name to The White House and have returned it to its roots as a hospitality establishment, offering local Bed and Breakfast (see images below).
Although this historical building has changed names in modern times, the new owners have returned its name to The White House and have returned it to its roots as a hospitality establishment, offering local Bed and Breakfast (see images below).
