Colchester's Pubs - there's one to suit everybody's taste!
Some of our pubs are of particular interest from a historical and visual viewpoint. We feel that they would therefore be recommended to visitors in Colchester.Some of our pubs are favoured by connoisseurs of beer, usually members of CAMRA. They are usually (but not always) sparsely furnished, dedicated places, without pool tables or juke boxes - not particularly somewhere to take a first date.
Some of our pubs can be quite lively, favoured by the younger set, usually with loud music.
Some of our pubs are renowned for their cooking.
......and then, some of our pubs are great 'locals', offering a bit of everything.
So, what is it that suits you best?
Here follows a list of Colchester's pubs and a few chosen ones from the general area outside of Colchester.
Special Interest - of particular or historic interest.
Lively Venue - vibrant pub, usually young customers and loud music.
Real Ale - a real ale pub, usually with no frills.
Beer Garden - suitable for children
Sports - Pool, darts, Sky telly, etc.
Food - bar snacks, bar meals, possibly a separate restaurant area.
Music - noticeable or loudly played music
Music - live bands or performances
C Central - Within the town walls.
N North - Outside the town walls to the north
S South - Outside the town walls to the south
E East - Outside the town walls to the east
W West - Outside the town walls to the west
It is not easy to be objective and we welcome an alternative view of favourite pubs from you out there. Please email us with your favourites and also tell us why. Also, if we have got something wrong or you feel that you can add to the information, please email us.
Our favourites have a
beside them.
Abbey Arms
St. Johns Green, Colchester, Essex CO2 7HA
Tel: 01206 579884
S 
Free House
We visited in April 2007. John Kemp is the longest serving landlord in the town, having been there for 28 years. Great atmosphere. Friendly, good pub grub. Pool played.
After Office Hours
previously the Faunus and Firkin, previously the Lamb, previously, the Bay and Say, previously the Lamb.
128, High St, Colchester, Essex CO1 1SP
Tel: 01206 564367
C .
A town centre pub.
Albert
Cowdray Avenue
N .
A restaurant with a bar.
Ancient Briton
Iceni Way, Colchester, Essex, CO2 9EH
S .
.
Artillery Man
56 Artillery Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2JQ
E Greene King
.
Beehive
113, Bromley Rd, Colchester, Essex CO4 3JG
Tel: 01206 863667
E .
.
Beerhouse
(previously the Bakers Arms)
Magdalen Street
E .
A local.
Bell
Fingringhoe Road, Old Heath, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8DZ
E .
We visited on a quiet night in March 2007.
Brewer's Arms
31, Osborne St, Colchester, Essex CO2 7DA
Tel: 01206 560666
S .
.
Bricklayer's Arms
27, Bergholt Rd, Colchester, Essex CO4 5AA
Tel: 01206 852008
N 
.
.
Britannia
42 Meyrick Crescent, Colchester, Essex CO2 7QY
Tel. 01206 574391
S .
http://www.pub-explorer.com/olpg/thebritannia/colchester/index.htm
British Grenadier
67, Military Rd, Colchester, Essex CO1 2AP
Tel: 01206 500933
N Adnams
We visited in March 2007. This is a real ale pub. No frills. Good beer and a friendly atmosphere.
Bull Hotel
Crouch Street, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3ES
S .
We hear good reports but have not visited recently.
Cambridge Arms
94 Military Road, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2AN
S Admiral
We visited March 2007. Nice and friendly but geared for live music.
Castle
92, High St, Colchester, Essex CO1 1TH
Tel: 01206 563988
C .
A lively town centre pub with a large outside seating area.
Cherry Tree
Mersea Rd, Blackheath, Colchester, Essex CO2 0AD
Tel: 01206 368173
S .
.
Clarendon
6 Harwich Road, East Gates, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3BN
E .
.
Crown Inn
235, Lexden Rd, Colchester, Essex CO3 4DA
Tel: 01206 572071
W .
http://www.pub-explorer.com/olpg/crowninn/colchester/index.htm
Dog and Pheasant
24, Nayland Rd, Mile End, Colchester, Essex CO4 5EG
Tel: 01206 852427
N Greene King, Hungry Horse
http://www.pub-explorer.com/essex/pub/dog&pheasantcolchester.htm
Dragoon
82, Butt Rd, Colchester, Essex CO3 3DA
Tel: 01206 573464
S .
Our visit in March 2007 revealed a friendly atmosphere, pool and darts and television for the footy, quite smoky (not any more we assume), mainly men, lunch time food menu. Interesting collection of dragoon, hussar, cavalry, etc. prints on walls.
Drury Arms
1, Layer Rd, Colchester, Essex CO2 7HN
Tel: 01206 575757
S 
.
It's known as a footballer's pub as it is close to Colchester United's ground.
Fat Cat
(previously the Royal)
65, Butt Rd, Colchester, Essex CO3 3BZ
Tel: 01206 577990
S .
Our visit in March 2007 saw this pub in its early stages having been recently taken over and converted into a real ale type pub, no music, no pool, no darts, no telly. Great atmosphere and very friendly. Definitely for the beer buff. Will definitely call in again.
Forester's Arms
Castle Road, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1UW
E .
Our visit in March 2007 confirmed that this is an excellent little 'local' with its own brand of customers. The beer and the food are excellent and in the warmer months it is lovely to sit outside and watch the world go by.
Foundry Arms
83, Artillery St, Colchester, Essex CO1 2JQ
Tel: 01206 863379
E .
.
Fox and Fiddler
(previously the Boiadicea, previously the Headgate, previously the Elephant and Castle, previously the Ship.)
St. John St, Colchester, Essex CO2 7AA
Tel: 01206 560520
S .
A firm favourite with real ale enthusiasts.
Friar
St. Christopher Rd, Colchester, Essex CO4 0NE
Tel: 01206 843402
N .
George Hotel
116 High Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1TD
C .
An ancient inn with an excellent restaurant and very comfortable furnishings. more.
Goat and Boot Inn
70 East Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2QW
E Greene King
Our visit in March 2007 confirmed that this is a great, well run, friendly pub. It has numerous pool and darts teams so it always seems to be busy, but with a quiter area for the beer buff and Guardian reader. Sadly, the foul mouthed parrot seems to have cleaned up his act. It is an ancient building with some very fine carved timberwork ceilings and other features.
Grapes
87, Mersea Rd, Colchester, Essex CO2 7RB
Tel: 01206 544035
S .
.
Hole in the Wall
Balkerne Lane, Colchester, Essex CO3 3LA
Tel: 01206 579897/576392
C .
This pub has bouncers on the door of an evening so beware! Visit during the day for an appreciation of the hole that was bashed through the Roman wall in 1843 to give a view of the new railway to the north. Imore
Hospital Arms
(previously the Tap and Spile)
123-125, Crouch St, Colchester, Essex CO3 3HA
Tel: 01206 542398
W Adnams
Another firm favourite of the real ale enthusiasts. Well worth a visit if you are not a hooligan. One of Colchester's best kept secrets.
Huntsman Tavern
177, Shrub End Rd, Colchester, Essex CO3 4RG
Tel: 01206 576397
S .
We visited April 2007. A spacious and comfortable local area pub. Nice restaurant area. Pool played.
King's Arms
Crouch Street, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3EY
W Hogshead
Our visit in March 2007 confirmed this as a firm favourite of ours. Great atmosphere, always busy, popular with all ages, traditional furniture, good beer and food, live music nights, curry nights, beer garden, nice bar staff, etc. We don't know what it is but we love it every time we visit.
Leather Bottle
Shrub End Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 4RH
S .
We visited in April 2007. Not impressed. Avoid eye contact. A locals' pub.
Little Crown
Short Wyre St
C .
.
Lord Nelson
134 Hythe Hill, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2NF
E .
.
Live and Let Live
Millers Lane, Stanway, Colchester, Essex CO3 0PS
Tel: 01206 574071
W .
We visited in Summer 2007. A busy pub with friendly management. A typical local.
Maltsters
Haven Rd, Colchester, Essex CO2 8HT
Tel: 01206 861944
E .
.
Marquis
(previously the Marquis of Granby)
24-25, North Hill, Colchester, Essex CO1 1EG
Tel: 01206 577630
C .
Our visit in March 2007 revealed this pub to be popular with young people, a good food menu, friendly atmosphere. Pool table in the back. This pub has some magnificent carved woodwork and building features, mainly 16th century, from a time before it became a pub. A must for those interested in historic buildings but a few rough diamonds get in there so choose your time carefully. more
Maypole
131, Berechurch Hall Rd, Colchester, Essex CO2 9NR
Tel: 01206 578170
S .
Mark's view - Great food, great atmosphere, all age pub.
Molly Malones
(also Fagins Den, previously Slipstream, previously the Dickens Hotel, previously the Fountain.)
4, St. Botolphs Circus, Colchester, Essex CO2 7EF
Tel: 01206 571763
S .
.
New Inn
Chapel Street South, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7AX
S .
Our visit in March 2007 confirmed what we knew from previous visits. A good local pub for the area, great atmosphere, friendly barstaff, good pub food menu. This pub was destroyed by a German bomb and later rebuilt.
Norfolk
132 North Station Road, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1UZ
S Greene King
.
Odd One Out
28 Mersea Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7ET
S Parrick Family (Free House)*
One of Colchester's best kept secrets. more
O'Neills
(previously the Waggon and Horses)
66, North Hill, Colchester, Essex CO1 1PX
Tel: 01206 578555
C .
A busy town centre pub. Has bouncers on the door of an evening, so we don't go there.
Pink Panther
(previously the Blue Boar)
Kendall Road, New Town
S Admiral Taverns
Used to be a rough house but it has new tenants now. Gays and lebians and cross dressers and anybody else made welcome. Sounds like fun!
Playhouse
4, St. Johns St, Colchester, Essex CO2 7AA
Tel: 01206 571003
S J D Weatherspoon
This pub has bouncers on the door of an evening so beware! Visit during the day for an appreciation of the splendid preservation and displays of this old theatre. Visit at any time if you can handle yourself and like a lively house. We don't visit pubs that have bouncers. more
Prettygate
The Commons, Colchester, Essex CO3 4NW
Tel: 01206 563497
W .
Typical local serving the Prettygate area. Not visited for a while.
Purple Dog
(previously the Clarence)
Trinity Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1JN
C .
Recently converted and re-named. Previously the Clarence. We enjoyed our visit. Friendly atmosphere but a bit young for us. Coffee available.
Queen's Hotel
Berechurch Road, Colchester, Essex, CO2 7QB
S .
A typical local pub.
Red Lion
43 High Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 1DJ
C .
This is not really a pub but the bar upstairs is worth a visit to view the interior of a 15th century halled house. The food is excellent too. Not for the beer buff! Nice comfortable furnishings. more
Robin Hood
Osborne Street
S .
Closed at the moment. It was a typical town pub.
Rose and Crown
51 East Street, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2TZ
E .
Our visit in March 2007, confirmed that this was a lively, friendly pub, part of a quite high class hotel and restaurant. Well worth a visit to see this inside of a carefully restored 15th century group of buildings that have been made into one. No music, TV, pool or darts. Comfortably furnished and intimate, or not, depending were you choose to be. Good range of beers and a CAMRA favourite. more
Rover's Tye
Ipswich Road, Colchester, Essex CO4 9BA
Tel. 01206 845345
N .
A very well run and comfortable pub offering excellent food and a play area for children.
http://www.pub-explorer.com/essex/pub/roverstyecolchester.htm
Royal Mortar
120, Military Rd, Colchester, Essex CO1 2AS
Tel: 01206 790214
E Free House
Our visit in March 2007 revealed a splendid 'local'. Run as a freehouse, it is very friendly and comfortable and caters for darts and pool players and a bit of footy on the box on occasions.
Smith's
2, Church St, Colchester, Essex CO1 1NF
Tel: 01206 564000
C .
Not really a pub. It started life as a wine bar and has stood the test of time. We have never been in there but we can't help but notice that it is a popular place.
Silver Oyster
1 Queen Elizabeth Way, Monkwick, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8LY
S Spinnaker
Hythe Quay, Colchester, Essex CO2 8JB
Tel: 01206 793176
E .
Our visit in March 2007 confirmed that this little pub is as friendly as it ever was, an excellent 'local' with a dart board, no pool and a small restaurant area.
Stockwell Arms
West Stockwell Street
C .
Re-opened in December 2007 after being closed for a few months. Not visited yet.
Sun Inn
Lexden Road, Colchester. C03 4BL
Tel. 01206 574327
Or e-mail us at: thesuninnlexden@hotmail.co.uk
W .
Football and beer. A great pub if you like football and the types whose lives revolve around football. Not visited by us recently.
The Twist
(previously the Soundhouse, previously the Oliver Twist, previously the Globe.)
Military Rd, Colchester, Essex CO1 2AD
Tel: 01206 562453
S .
A music venue only, although it used to be a great pub.
Victoria
10, North Station Rd, Colchester, Essex CO1 1RB
Tel: 01206 514510
N .
.
Wig & Pen
156, High St, Colchester, Essex CO1 1PG
Tel: 01206 769995
C 
Greene King
Bouncers on the doors of an evening. Enough said! Not really a pub, more a drinking hall.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED,
NEAR TO COLCHESTER,
'COUNTRY' PUBS
These pubs are recommended here,
mainly due to their friendly atmosphere,
their good range of beers
and their excellent food menus.
The Alma Copford Green, Copford,
Colchester, Essex CO6 1BZ
Tel: 01206 210607
The Angel,
Heckford Bridge
The Cherry Tree,
Tendring
The Compasses,
Pattiswick
The Cross,
Horsley Cross
The Peldon Rose Inn
Colchester Rd, Peldon,
Colchester, Essex CO5 7QJ
Tel: 01206 735248
The Rose and Crown, Great Horkesley
The Rose and Crown,
Wormingford
Langham
The Shoulder of Mutton,
Fordham
Shepherd Neame
(New tenant sought so the atmosphere may not be what it used to be for a while.)
The White Hart,
West Bergholt
Just because we didn't particularly like the pub, doesn't mean that others don't. There are a handful of pubs listed that I would not dream of going to, their reputation for trouble being well known to locals. If that is the case, they get no comment, good or bad. Let's face it, some pubs are used by the shaved head, tattooed, football supporter, types. Others are used by middle aged, flat cap wearing, golfers. Whereas this page has been compiled by someone who has sometimes been referred-to by young pipsqueaks as an 'old fogey'. This means that I am in my 50's, I don't like pubs that have loud music or noisy fruit machines, blaring televisions or children in pubs. I like 'old-style' pubs, where music is acceptable if not so loud as to be intrusive, where swearing is frowned upon by the management, where there is usually a place at the bar, from which position, life may be observed, where the beer is cold and the landlord/lady/barstaff look as if they are pleased to see you. On this basis, please proceed and be informed about the best of Colchester's pubs.
SOME SELECTED PUB HISTORIES
More can be found in the book, 'The Inns, Taverns and Pubs of Colchester'.
(Available at Colchester Library, for purchase from Red Lion Books or Castle Bookshop or downloadable here.)
High Street, south side
This is probably the most famous inn in the town, having been the subject of picture postcards over many years. It was built in the mid 15th century and is of extensively carved and decorated timber frame construction.
The house was originally the private residence of the Howard family, whose arms displayed the White Lion and which is believed to have been the earlier name of this ancient house. One of the family, Sir John Howard, (c1430 to 1485), was appointed Constable of Colchester Castle in 1461 and later in 1483 was created Duke of Norfolk. It later underwent a change in colour to the Red Lion.
A magnificently carved wooden panel has survived the passing of the centuries, facing onto the High Street, forming the archway leading into the yard. It depicts England's patron saint, St.George, and the Dragon that he is reputed to have slain. Sir John Howard held the Order of the Garter, an order of chivalry founded by Edward III, in St.George's name, in 1350.
Today, the hotel has a ghost, said to be that of Alice Miller who was 'foully done to death' in 1633. She frequents the upstairs bar area, so don't linger too long or she may visit you!
High Street, north side
The George has a centuries old tradition of providing true English hospitality.
'Here has the shrewd merchant sealed his bargains, the dashing cavalier roistered right merrily, the sober-visaged Puritan discussed theology and strong waters, the reckless Gentlemen of the Road scented his quarry, the red-coated soldier of Marlborough, Cumberland and Wellington sought billets, and the pig-tailed sailor of Vernon, Rodney and Nelson spent his hard-earned prize money heedlessly on his way up the Great East Road from Yarmouth or Harwich to the giddy whirl of London life.'
The earliest record of the inn dates from 1494 although the building structure has been extensively altered over the centuries. The central part of the building and the cellars are a part of the original 15th century house and is contemporary with the Red Lion on the opposite side of the street.
One of the most notorious visitors to the George was William Corder, who was accommodated for one night, with one hand secured to the bedpost and the other handcuffed to a constable, following his arrest in 1828 for the brutal murder of Maria Marten at the Red Barn in Polstead. He was conveyed to jail in Bury St.Edmunds the next day and later hanged. If you stay the night, you might just find yourself in the self same bed.
Today, the George is one of the most attractive looking buildings in the High Street and the interior very comfortable and tastefully furnished. It has an excellent restaurant too.
at the foot of North Hill
The name of this ancient hostelry is of military origin (very much in keeping with Colchester's military past) and commemorates one John Manners, Marquis of Granby who lived from 1721 to 1770. He was a brilliant soldier and much beloved by the men under his command. After the wars, so the story goes, he set up many of his officers in inns, thus making this inn's name a popular one throughout the country.
It should be pointed out that this pub's fabric is much older than the Marquis after whom it is named. The building can be dated from the 1500 to 1520 period. Sections of its interior woodwork are remarkable and wonderfully preserved. The bar at the back of the inn shows some of the finest examples of wood carver's skill. The great oak beam spanning the room is carved with eagles, dragons, dogs and monkeys. At either end, its wall posts are decorated with carvings of figures in 16th century costume.
When the premises first became an inn is not known. However, it is known that its original name was that of 'The Crown', then described in 1753 as an alehouse being 'within Northgate in Colchester, being a very good and commodious and well accustomed house, with a large garden and conveniency for stabling, and extraordinarily well situated for good spring water to brew with.'
The pub first appears in the Borough's licensing records as 'The Marquis of Granby' in 1770, the date coinciding precisely with the death of the much revered Marquis.
Another fascinating feature of the inn is to be found over the fireplace, where there is a bas relief, designed by a once well known Colchester citizen, Mr Gurney Benham, portraying people connected with the town's history, all sitting down to the celebrated Colchester Oyster Feast.
Whilst the pub is well worth a visit, it is popular with young people and can be a little too lively for some tastes.
St. John's Street
This pub is not one of the town's oldest. It started life as a theatre, later becoming a cinema and opened as a pub by the J D Weatherspoon chain in 1994.
The overall theme concentrates on its former use, with many old theatrical posters adorning the walls. Names such as Max Miller, Winifred Atwell, Wilson, Keppel and Betty, Michael Bentine, etc.
This pub does not have music and its beer prices are low. It does get very busy at weekends. If there are bouncers on the door, we suggest you avoid the place as it can be rough at times.
Balkerne Gate, near the Jumbo water tower
The name of this pub came about as a result of the railway coming to Colchester in 1843. At that time, what was known as the Balkerne Fort stood on the hill, but a 'hole' was made in the wall to make room for additional apartments in the pub and in order to give a better view of the newly constructed Great Eastern Railway. This single act of archaeological vandalism was thereafter referred to by local people as the Hole in the Wall, the name to be adopted as its official name over a hundred years later.
The pub is well known because it stands right on top of the Balkerne Gate, the only surviving Roman gateway. The gate formed part of the 3100 metre long Roman wall, was the west entrance into the Roman town, and built in various stages from AD 43 to 200.
The pub has had various names, being named The King's Head after the Siege of Colchester in 1648 when Parliamentary forces overcame Royalist resistance and much destruction and depredations of the town had taken place. The Parliamentarians, led by Oliver Cromwell, removed King Charles I's head in 1649, giving rise to many an inn and tavern of the time being given the name.
It was not until the 1970's that Balkerne Hill was so drastically cut into, leaving the pub high and dry as we see it today, or in the words of one commentator, 'like a Tibetan Monastery.'
Refurbishing work in 1995 revealed a mass of Roman artefacts such as coins and pottery, as well as musket balls dated from the Colchester Siege period. These have been put on display in the pub.
Whilst the pub is well worth a visit, it is popular with young people and can be a little too lively for some tastes.
Mersea Road, south east of the town centre
This pub is included on the tour because of its uniqueness as 'a drinker's pub.' The landlord and his family run it on traditional lines, no frills or fancies and definite rules for rowdy or offensive customers.
The Odd One Out is a free house and is a past winner of the N E Essex CAMRA 'Pub of the Year' contest. The landlord, Mr Parrick, considers his pub to be 'The Drinkers Pub of Colchester' and he offers a range of traditionally served beers from a variety of regional brewers and also a range of more than 40 Scotch and Irish whiskies. There is no food on offer, so avoiding restaurant type smells to spoil the taste of the beer and it also claims to be the cheapest pub in Colchester.
As an aside, the original pub, then named the Mermaid, was next door. The owners had some difficulties with evicting a tenant, so they closed it down and transferred the business next door.
A real Odd One Out!
at the foot of East Hill
This ancient hostelry can be dated back as far as 1699, although the building itself must be one of the oldest in the town with its timber framed structure dating from the 15th century.
It has been tastefully restored over the years and is a combination of what were originally several smaller dwellings, now renowned for its high standard of cuisine and accommodation.
The inn primarily drew its custom, apart from satisfying the wants of its immediate neighbours, from drovers, who in those days were always on the road with large herds of cattle, making their way to the London markets, raising great clouds of dust in their passage and leaving the aroma of the farmyard behind them. An advertisement in 1819 informed farmers and cattle dealers that Edward Wade, junior, was 'drawing in Beasts, Sheep and Pigs' for Romford and Stratford markets at several locations, including the Rose and Crown in Colchester.
The house was at that time described as an 'old established, roomy and commodious Inn or Public House ... adjoining the great road from Colchester to Ipswich,' and contained a bar, taproom, kitchen, large cellar, scullery, dairy, two parlours, six sleeping rooms and two attics. In addition to stabling for thirty horses, with hay lofts and granary oven, there were cowhouses, sheds, piggeries, and several acres of garden and pasture.
Today, the hotel is a good place to go and enjoy the gentle atmosphere of a tastefully restored ancient inn. There are many artefacts on display, with no juke box, gaming machines, pool table or dart board. It has an excellent restaurant too!
Your opinions and suggestions for other good pubs will be appreciated and possibly incorporated on these pages.
Please email us at:
or,
if it is ghosts that you seek,
please link to,
or a book entitled,
The book, now in its third edition, gives historical details of all known pubs (both past and present) in Colchester, the oldest recorded town in Britain. Any historical information that you may be able to provide, especially copies of old photographs, documents, etc. would be eagerly received.
or try,
or,
or,
or, for some other places:
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