Background....

Dating back to at least the 16th century, though some accounts suggest there has been an inn on this site for 700 years. The building itself has been altered and extended over time, but it retains some original features, such as roughly hewn tree trunk beams in the beer cellar.

16th-Century Origins: The current building is believed to be from the 16th century. It was once a coaching inn, and at one point, it was a place where a constable could watch for escaped prisoners from the nearby Lydford Castle.

Literary Connections: The inn has a link to local folklore, being the alleged location where a bosun named Salvation Yeo slayed a member of the "Gubbins" family, a notorious gang of rogues. This event was immortalized in Charles Kingsley's book, Westward Ho.

Modern Era: In more recent history, the inn has changed hands. The current owners, Jay and Tess Barker-Jones, along with their family, took over in July 2019. Tess's connection to the pub goes back to her teenage years, when she worked there washing dishes for a previous owner. Under their management, the inn has received awards, including "best pub" at the Food Drink Devon Awards.

A Haunted Reputation: The inn is also said to be haunted, adding another layer of intrigue to its long history. Quiet Gentleman: Some visitors have reported seeing a "quiet gentleman" sitting in a corner of the bar, but when they mention him to staff, they're told that no one is there. One story involves a London taxi driver who saw the man two days in a row and, upon learning he was a ghost, was so frightened that he immediately checked out of the inn.