Ship Inn, Shaftesbury

Aged stone pub with rambling collection of rooms and passageways and some interesting local ales.

Official site of Ship Inn - www.shipinnfreehouse.co.uk

Not sure how an inn atop the hill at Shaftesbury, and thus many miles from the coast, came to be called the Ship. However, this attractive old building makes a fine-looking pub with little - apart from the original brass nameplate - to suggest its former use as a doctors' surgery. There is a small seating area in the bar, with the main lounge to one side, a pool / darts room at a lower level on the other and a snug by the front door. Very traditional furniture and decor throughout. Reasonable selection from the four handpumps, including a decent pint of the local DBC Jurassic Dark (£3.40). Well worth seeking out.

Official site of Ship Inn - www.shipinnfreehouse.co.uk

This 17th Century stone-built freehouse sits at the edge of the town centre on the side of a hill. The original Ship Hotel stood nearby, while the current building was once a doctors' surgery. The ground floor has 4 separate bar areas, all very characterful, with a mix of flooring and construction types. The décor is eclectic, there are oak beams on display and there is a Victorian fireplace in one corner. There is a covered area at the back, and while the pub doesn't have its own car park, the town centre public car park is opposite. Staff are very friendly and welcoming, there is a very businesslike pub dog who has her own reserved bench, and the locals are genuinely convivial. There is also, supposedly, a pub ghost. The pub doesn't do food so is an ideal haunt for people who just want a drink without distractions; having said that, the pub has an arrangement with some local restaurants to have food delivered.. For those unable to enjoy a pint without entertainment there is a tv screen, a dart board, a gaming machine and a pool table. Free wifi is available. There were three ales and a cider on draft. I had a pint of Dorset Brewing Company's Flashman's Clout, a dark beer full of different flavours and most enjoyable. A definite for a crawl, and a good place to spend an evening drinking.