1 Minster Street
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP1 1TB
01722 411313
The ancient and characterful Haunch of Venison in Salisbury is one of Britain’s classic pubs (photos 1 & 2). The pub is first recorded in 1320 when it was used to serve the workers building St Thomas’s church behind. The current building was constructed in the 15th century and there were alterations in the 18th century when much of the wood panelling was added. The Haunch of Venison has been awarded Grade II* listing, which is rare for a pub, and Historic England describes its importance:
as an early house in the centre of Salisbury, which retains clear evidence of its evolution from a church house in the C15 to a public house, which was refurbished in about 1909.
As you go through the front door you enter a small wood-panelled bar with a pewter-topped bar counter (photo 3). On the counter are two banks of rare spirit taps which were installed as part of the 1909 refurb by a local plumber (photo 4). They once served fortified wines and spirits by gravity from barrels above. Just to the right of the entrance is the “Horsebox”, a tiny snug with bench seats and a single table which was once the ladies room. This bar was where Winston Churchill and Dwight Eisenhower are said to have met after planning the D-Day landings in 1944, but it seems more likely that they used another, less obvious, room upstairs.
Up the steps from the bar is another panelled room with low beams and a large fireplace. It’s called the House of Lords, apparently because it was used by bishops who wanted some peace from the noisy bar below. You do have to wonder how many bishops there were in Salisbury at the time.
In a locked bread oven in the fireplace is a severed hand, chopped from the arm of a cheating card player, and preserved by smoke after being thrown on the fire. The ghost of the unfortunate card player is said to haunt the pub, always appearing with his arms folded to hide his hands. Another ghost is the white lady who is rarely seen, but exudes the smell of flowers.
Upstairs is the restaurant which has beamed walls and ceilings and two more ancient fireplaces.
Food unsurprisingly features venison dishes along with pub favourites and is available all day. Ales usually include Butcombe Original with three changing beers. The Haunch was once a Courage pub and Courage Best was still sold until quite recently. The pub is a whisky specialist with up to 130 malts available.
The pub backs on to the Grade I listed St Thomas’s mentioned above and looks out onto the 16th century Poultry Cross, also Grade I listed. Photo 2 is taken from one of the arches in the Poultry Cross.
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