Wellingborough's '˜oldest new pub' opening next week

Drinkers will soon be able to enjoy a pint at a new pub in the town centre.
The Old House in Sheep Street, WellingboroughThe Old House in Sheep Street, Wellingborough
The Old House in Sheep Street, Wellingborough

The Hart Family Brewers, based at Nene Court in Wellingborough, will open the Old House in Sheep Street at midday on November 17.

The Grade II listed timber framed ‘Tudor House,’ as it is locally known, is owned by Wellingborough Council.

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Restoration work carried out by the authority included re-thatching the roof, installing new floors and redecoration to prepare the property for lease.

The Old House is opening next weekThe Old House is opening next week
The Old House is opening next week

The Old House’s new landlords, Rob and Sarah Hart, produce and sell a range of cask and bottled beers and India Dry Gin at their custom-built brewery, which they opened at Nene Court in 2012.

Mr Hart has been working closely with Wellingborough Museum to piece together information and images of the building which will be displayed in the Old House.

Speaking earlier this year, Mr Hart said: “It’s such a stunning building and we want to make sure we do it justice.

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“Looking through old postcards depicting buildings on Sheep Street, we noticed many were captioned ‘Old House,’ hence the pub name was decided.

The Old House is opening next weekThe Old House is opening next week
The Old House is opening next week

“We are also working closely with the borough council to ensure this venture is commercially sound and respectful of the unique character of the premises.”

Mr Hart said they will major on their own beers and offer selected guest beers.

They will also sell their own gin and single malt, bar snacks from local producers, and they are promising ‘the best wine list in Wellingborough’ compiled from their hand-selected premium wines sold at the brewery.

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Downstairs there will a bar area and seating, with further seating upstairs.

Rob and Sarah also plan to open a courtyard beer garden and host regular music nights and a film club showing cult classics.

A post on the brewery’s Facebook page said: “We’re opening the doors of the Old House at noon on Friday, 17th November so please share, tag and like to let your Facebook friends know where you’ll be.

“Ronan, your bar manager, is so looking forward to welcoming you to Wellingborough’s oldest new pub...cheers!”

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Originally two houses and part of the Croyland Abbey estate, much of the ground floor is Medieval, and the foundations are thought to date back to AD 948, with later Tudor editions.

It is one of the few domestic buildings which survived the great fire of Wellingborough of 1738 and the only thatched house in the town.

In the late 19th Century and early 20th Century, it was owned by the Wellingborough brewery company William Dulley & Sons, who restored and gifted the building to Wellingborough Urban District Council in 1920.

More recent times have seen the building used as an antique shop, the Tudor House Restaurant and as a Chinese restaurant.

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