Saturday 16 March 2024

All welcome to join the tour, CAMRA members and non-members alike.

The Word version of the tour notes is here: Word Tour Notes and the PDF version is here: PDF Tour Notes

The title of this tour is a reference to ‘The Tamworth Two’, the pigs that escaped while being unloaded from a lorry at an abattoir in Malmesbury, Wiltshire in January 1998. It also refers of course to the London Pubs Group’s escape from London for a day out.

1. Kings Ditch

Arrive 12.00 Noon.

Address: The Kings Ditch, 51 Lower Gungate, Tamworth, B79 7AS.

Real ales: According to the pub’s website, ‘four to six gravity-served ales, 16 real ciders, three fruit ciders and two perries’ are normally served here.

Read about the Kings Ditch

Directions to next pub: On leaving the pub, cross over Lower Gungate to

2. Globe Inn

Arrive: 12.45 PM. This is the official lunch stop but other pubs on the tour also serve food. .

Address: The Globe Inn, Lower Gungate, Tamworth, B79 7AT.

Real ales: Draught Bass and Wainwright Golden are normally served here.

Read about the Globe Inn

Directions to next pub: Turn left out of the pub and continue walking along Lower Gungate, past Guys Almshouses (The Charity of Thomas Guy). These are also locally listed and the description is as follows: “Substantial rebuilding in 1913, 17th Century origins, extended 1926-1928 with quadrangle and capacity for 28. Lower Gungate 11 bays wide, red brick with stone plinth and quoins. Large arched entrance with stone surrounds and Guy’s Coat of Arms above. Steeped hipped roof with lantern and 2 chimney stacks. Almshouses to rear joined together, red brick with protruding gables towards Spinning School Lane, with tile hanging on gables. Central courtyard formerly used as allotments.” Cross over Lower Gungate and continue walking along Lower Gungate to

3. Sir Robert Peel

Arrive: 2.15 PM.

Address: The Sir Robert Peel, 13 Lower Gungate, Tamworth, B79 7BA.

Real ales: The pub is in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2024. Five changing real ales are normally served here.

Read about the Sir Robert Peel

Directions to next pub: Turn right out of the pub and continue walking along Lower Gungate until it becomes Colehill. Continue walking along Colehill to just past the junction with Church Street then cross over Colehill to

4. Sheriff of Tamworth

Arrive: 2.45 PM.

Address: The Sheriff of Tamworth, 10 Colehill, Tamworth, B79 7HE.

Real ales: Three changing real ales are normally served here.

Read about the Sheriff of Tamworth

Directions to next pub: On leaving the pub, turn left and continue walking along Colehill to the junction with George Street. Turn right into George Street and walk along George Street until it becomes Market Street. Continue walking along Market Street, past the town hall. This is Grade II*-listed and the description is as follows: “Town Hall and butter market. 1701; extension of 1811 was rebuilt 1845. For Sir Thomas Guy. Chequer brick with ashlar dressings; hipped tile roof with brick lateral stacks. 2-storey rectangular structure with arcaded ground floor and 2-storey extension to rear. Ground floor has 2-bay arcade on Doric columns with archivolts and keystones, string course above; 1st floor has quoins and top modillioned cornice and pediment; 2 round-arched windows with keystones over small-paned glazing flank architraved plaque with pediment and inscription recording erection; Sir T.Guy's coat of arms to apron; oval cartouche with town arms above; clock face to pediment. Roof has hexagonal louvre with modillioned cornice and ogival cupola with wind vane. 5-window returns have 1st floor windows with rubbed brick flat arches and keystones over small-paned cross-casements; left return has blind window and lateral stack. Extension has 2-window range and 3-window returns: older brick work to plinth; platt band over ground floor and boxed eaves; entrance to left return up steps has ashlar doorcase with pilasters and entablature and 6-panel door; windows with rubbed brick flat arches and keystones over small-paned cross-casements; 2 lateral stacks to right return. INTERIOR: open ground floor has longitudinal arcade supporting chamfered beams; rooms have cornices and architraved windows; open-well stair with stick balusters and wreathed handrail; 1st floor council chamber has ceiling with fluted fans to angles, air vents to angles and flanking fireplace, which is early C19, marble with grate; 1814 Royal Arms opposite gallery with turned balusters and moulded rail; paired 6-panel doors; roof to 1701 part has pegged collar trusses with diagonal braces, trusses to former hip remain. History: Sir Thomas Guy was an important local benefactor, founder of the Guy's Almshouses, Tamworth, and of Guy's Hospital, London. Sir Robert Peel P.M. helped fund the addition, and he made his Tamworth Manifesto address here in 1835. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Staffordshire: London: 1974-: 278).” Outside the town hall stands the statue of Sir Robert Peel. This is Grade II-listed and the description is as follows: “Statue. 1853. By Matthew Noble. Bronze statue on ashlar plinth. Battered plinth has inscription and panelled returns; statue of standing figure in contemporary dress with long cloak. Sir Robert Peel Bart of Drayton Manor, 1788-1850, was member of parliament for Tamworth 1830-50 and Prime Minister 1841-1846. (H.Wood: Borough by Prescription: Tamworth: 1958-: P.64-65).” Continue walking along Market Street to

5. Tamworth Tap

Arrive: 3.15 PM. PLEASE NOTE: The Tamworth Tap gets very busy so if you want a good chance of getting a seat there you might want to visit it at opening time (12 noon) instead of at the time given in this itinerary.

Address: The Tamworth Tap, 29 Market St, Tamworth, B79 7LR.

Real ales: The pub is in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2024. Eight changing real ales are normally served here.

Read about the Tamworth Tap

Directions to next pub: Turn left out of the pub and continue walking along Market Street to

6. Market Vaults

Arrive: 4.00 PM.

Address: The Market Vaults, 7 Market St, Tamworth, B79 7LU.

Real ales: Joule’s Pale Ale, Pure Blonde and Slumbering Monk plus one changing real ale are normally served here. Read about the Market Vaults

Directions to next pub: On leaving the pub, turn left and continue walking along Market Street past the former Peel Arms Hotel, 1 Market Street. This is a Grade II listed building and the description is as follows: “Former hotel. Mid C18 with early C19 extension. Brick with ashlar dressings; tile roof, hipped slate roof to extension, with brick stacks. Georgian style. L-plan with later wing to left. Two storeys with attic; five window range. Brick plinth and boxed eaves. Entrance to left end in blocked elliptical-arched carriageway has doorcase with pediment, steps to recessed paired two-panel doors. Large cross-axial stack and end stack. Windows have rubbed brick flat arches over twelve-pane sashes; attic has two flat-roofed and two gabled dormers. Extension of two storey; four window range. Brick plinth and simple top cornice. Canted angle to left end has entrance and window to left in attached distyle Ionic colonnade, entrance blocked, window partly blocked. Windows have sills, and rubbed brick flat arches over sixteen-pane sashes to ground floor, 4/8-pane top-hung casements to first floor. Basement opening. Two cross-axial stacks and end stack. Left return to Silver Street has window in former entrance with Ionic doorcase and two boarded windows. Rear has wing with M-roof; varied fenestration, some casements with pegged frames; right return has early C20 bow window with tile lintel and flat cornice, and segmental-headed window with paired sash; some sashed windows to rear of extension. Interior: not inspected but may have features of interest.” You should now be at the junction of Market Street and Silver Street. Cross over Silver Street and turn left into Ladybank. Walk along Ladybank to

7. Old Bank House

Arrive: 4.30 PM.

Address: The Old Bank House, 9 Lady Bank, Tamworth, B79 7NB.

Real ales: The pub is in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2024. Five changing real ales are normally served here.

Read about the Old Bank House