Marlow Memories by Michael Eagleton

Michael prepared this article for the Marlow Free Press nine years ago, the edition on November 13, 2015.

Things have obviously moved on since then, but as this is the Nostalgia page I have reproduced it exactly as he wrote it.

If you have any comments, particularly updating the information, please contact me, Mike Dewey, deweymiked@aol.com.

Michael wrote “Back in 1970 Thomas Wethered’s Brewery was alive and well in Marlow High Street, although by that date it had become part of the Whitbread empire. In that year they produced a leaflet of some of their recommended pubs in South Buckinghamshire. I just about remember seeing this little leaflet all those years ago but am grateful to our real ale expert ‘Noj’ Williamson for reminding me of it and lending me his well-worn copy.

The pubs are in random order but I have edited together the ones in Marlow for this week’s column. The Hare and Hounds is no longer a pub and is currently being rebuilt as a housing complex. The news, in the Marlow Free Press two weeks ago, that the Three Horseshoes had closed was a shock. Possibly it is only a temporary measure - I hope it reopens soon. After many years owned by Rebellion Brewery and serving a nice pint of their mild, it was taken over by Enterprise Inns.

The remaining five are thankfully still very much in business, although internally the Marlow Donkey has seen quite a few changes. Elsewhere in the county, the pubs detailed are Traveller’s Friend, Wexham Street, near Slough; the Beech Tree, Beaconsfield; the Red Cow, High Wycombe; the Crown, Beaconsfield; the Royal Oak, West Hyde, near Denham; the Windmill, Slough; the Crown and Old Treaty House, Uxbridge; the Stag, Burnham; the Plough, Datchet; the Old Five Bells, Burnham; the Elephant & Castle, Amersham; the Five Arrows, Waddesdon; and the Shoulder of Mutton, Wendover.

There are at least three other casualties amongst those – the one I know about for certain is the Stag at Burnham Beeches, which is also being rebuilt as housing. It was a well-run and reasonably successful pub, but with the only available parking just opposite in one of the Burnham Beeches free car parks. Trade declined sharply when the powers to be suddenly introduced a £2 charge to use this, and all other, car parks. This and other recent restrictions and petty rules and regulations have made the beautiful Burnham Beeches rather an unwelcoming place now, and the visitor numbers have decreased as a result.”