Oxford Crawl 19th / 20th December 1987

This was a weekend crawl staying overnight in a bed and breakfast on the Iffley road.
We took a train from Nottingham and got into Oxford well before 11am a taxi took us the the B&B,luckily there was a pub almost opposite the B&B.
This was to be a dinnertime crawl before going to watch Nottingham Forest play Oxford United at the Manor Ground,but the main reason for visiting Oxford was to do the Morrells tied houses.

Saturday 19 December  1987

A walk across the road and we was in our first pub.


1: Fir Tree Tavern

(c) Alan Winfield

A corner pub and the first Morrells house of the day,so well pleased,this was a pretty normal pub that had been done up,we had a decent drink of Morrells Bitter.

We then got a bus into the city centre to do our next pub.

2: The Eagle and Child

(c) Alan Winfield

A proper old pub and quite famous with its connections to JR Tolkein ,the pub was quite nice inside,being fairly narrow, the Halls Harvest Bitter was a decent drink.

Just across the road from the Eagle and Child is the Lamb and Flag.

3: Lamb & Flag

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub that had Chef  & Brewer signage outside.
I noted the pub as an Ushers tied house,we had a decent drink of Ushers Bitter.
This was quite a nice pub.

4: Gloucester Arms

A small pub that was a Free House,we had a drink of Wadworth 6X which went down very well.
For some unknown reason i forgot to take a photo of this pub.

A walk through the City Centre and we found pub number 5.

5: The Grapes

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a decent looking pub and another Morrells tied house,it was quite small and narrow inside,we had a drink of Morrells Bitter which was a really nice drink.

6: Oxford Bakery & Brew House

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a a fairly large looking pub with a nice curved frontage,lots of wood inside and a choice of  real ales we had a drink of Old Rot Porter which was a very nice drink.

Our next pub has now changed name for the worse.

7: Welsh Pony

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a small Morrells tied house that was fairly basic inside,the Morrells Bitter was a decent enough drink.
Sadly this pub was called Euro Bar when i took a photo of it at a later date.

8: Nags Head

(c) Alan Winfield

A nice looking pub next to the river,it was quite smart inside with a few different rooms.
The pub was a Halls house when we did it,the Halls Harvest Bitter was a decent drink .

9: Queens Arms

(c) Alan Winfield

A pretty standard town pub,but it was a Morrells tied house so we were well pleased in doing it.
The pub was fairly smart inside and the Morrells Bitter was a decent enough drink.

10: The Westgate

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a modern looking pub that was a Morrells tied house.
the pub was fairly smart inside and the Morrells Bitter was a decent drink.

We now had to make our way to the Manor Ground,but we still had time to get a couple of pubs done on the way.

11:  Cape of Good Hope

(c) Alan Winfield

Situated on the junction of some very busy roads.
The pub had a couple of rooms inside and was a Morrells tied house,the Morrells Bitter was a decent drink.

12 : Coach and Horses

(c) Alan Winfield

Another Morrels tied house so we were well pleased,the pub was fairly nice inside and the Morrells bitter was a decent drink.
A decent pub to end our dinnertime session in.

It was now time to  to get down to the Manor Ground and hopefully see Forest beat Oxford United.
We did'nt win the game and lost 2-0 but still had a good season in ending up 3rd in the old 1st division.

Back to the pub crawling and a good evening session round the city.

13: Cricketers Arms

This was a Morland tied house with a decent drink of Morland bitter on the bar,we did the pub when it was dark and i did not get back to it on the Sunday to take a photo.

14: The Bulldog

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub in the city centre,the pub was a Courage tied house when we did it,we had a drink of Courage Best which was a nice drink.

A very short walk down St Aldates and we was in our next pub.

15: Old Tom

(c) Alan Winfield

 
A small pub with a narrow room which was quite cosy and comfortable.
Another Morrells tied house and a decent drink of Morrells bitter.

Walking further down St Aldates we found our next pub.

16: The Apollo

(c) Alan Winfield

A corner pub which was painted white,nothing special inside but it was a Morland tied house,we had a decent drink of Morland Bitter.

We walked further down St Algates to our next pub.

17: Head of the River

A fairly large pub that was converted from a warehouse.
The pub was an Halls house when we did it,the Halls Harvest Bitter was a decent drink.
This was quite a nice pub to have drink in.
It was dark when we did it and i did not get to take a photo the following day.

18: Royal Blenheim

Another Halls tied house,we had a drink of Wadworth 6x which was a very nice drink.
Another pub i did not take a photo of as it was dark.

We did a bit of a walk back up St Aldates to find our next pub.

19: Penny Farthing

A Morrells tied house that was a modern looking pub, we were well pleased in finding this pub,the Morrells bitter was decent enough.
Yet again no photo as i did not get round to take a photo on the Sunday.

20: The Wheatsheaf

(c) Alan Winfield

Another Morrells tied house that is situated down a narrow alley off the high street.
This was a decent pub with a couple of rooms,the Morrells bittter was a very nice drink.

We decided to start to walk back towards the hotel,but with plenty of time before the pubs closed,we could get quite a few done.
A nice walk over  Magdalen bridge and we found plenty of pubs to go at.

21: Plasterers Arms

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent sized stand alone pub that was a Morrells tied house so we were well pleased,there were a few rooms inside,we had a drink in a comfortable lounge and had a nice drink of Morrells Mild.

22: Port Mahon

(c) Alan Winfield

This pub looked a bit strange from the outside,the inside was decent enough and another Morrells tied house,but the first keg Morrells house of the day,the keg Morrells bitter was ok.

A short walk and we was in our next pub.

23: Half Moon

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent Halls tied house that was quite small inside and smart enough inside,but no real ales on the bar.

24: The Elm Tree

(c) Alan Winfield

A fairly large pub that looked quite nice from the outside and another Morrells tied house.
The pub had a few rooms,we had a drink in the lounge,sadly the keg Morrells bittter was not too good.

25: Prince of Wales

(c) Alan Winfield

A small looking corner pub that looked quite basic,but it was a Morrells tied house so we had to do it.
There were a couple of rooms inside,i had a drink of Morrells Varsity bitter which was a nice drink.

A short walk up a side street and we found our next pub.


26: Temple Bar 

(c) Alan Winfield

This was a Wadworths tied house so we were well pleased.
There were a couple of rooms inside,we had a drink in the bar,the Wadworths IPA was a decent drink.

It was getting late so we went in the last pub of the day.

27: Oxford Blue

(c) Alan Winfield

A decent enough pub to end our Saturday crawl in.
The pub was an Ushers tied house,the Ushers Bitter was a decent drink.

A great Saturday visiting loads of pubs and watching a pretty poor football match.
The weekend was not over we still had a Sunday dinner session to do before going back to Nottingham.

Sunday 20 December 1987

After a good walk round  taking some photos of pubs done the previous day we were ready for our first drink of the day.

28: Duke of York

(c) Alan Winfield

A large pub that seems a but cut off by busy roads.
There were a few different rooms inside,we had a drink in the lounge.
The pub was a Morrells tied house so a good start to our session,the Morrells bittter was a very nice drink,the pub also had a bar billiards table which i like to see and play on.

It was a short walk to the next pub.

29: Jolly Farmers

(c) Alan Winfield

A nice looking pub that is in a quite area of Oxford,well it was on a Sunday.
There was a single room inside that was quite smart,we had a drink of  Marstons Pedigree which was a nice drink.

A another shortish walk and we was outside Morrells brewery gates,so we took a couple of photos of us outside the gates.
We then went in the brewery tap next door to the brewery.

(c) Alan Winfield

30: Marlborough Arms

 (c) Alan Winfield

A decent pub with a single  room,we had a very nice drink of Morrells bitter,and so it should be with such a short distance to travel.
We were well pleased in seeing the brewery and doing the brewery tap.

We was now heading towards the train station but doing any pubs we saw while walking there.

31: The Chequers

 (c) Alan Winfield

A nice looking pub with a couple of rooms we had a drink in a comfortable lounge.
This was an Halls tied house,the Halls Harvest bitter was a decent drink.

A very short walk and was in our next pub.

32: The Albion

 (c) Alan Winfield

Another Morrells tied house so we were well pleased,just a single room inside but decent enough,the Morrells bitter went down well.
The pub is situated next door to Halls bottling stores.

After a short walk and passing the train station we found our next pub.

33: Old Gate House

 (c) Alan Winfield

A decent looking pub that was quite comfortable inside.
A Halls tied house,we had a drink of Halls Harvest bitter.

A short walk down a side street and was in our last pub on our Oxford Crawl.

34: The Kite

 (c) Alan Winfield

Quite a large Victorian built pub,that was also decent enough inside.
Our last pub was another Morrells tied house,so a good pub to end our Sunday dinnertime session in,the Morrells bitter was a very nice drink.

A short walk and we was on Oxford train station waiting to go back to Nottingham.

A great weekend out and we did quite well in finding the Morrells tied houses doing 18 of them.