Duke of Wellington, Southampton

This is a lovely old traditional pub set down a side street just a short walk from Southampton’s main High Street. A few benches have been arranged outside on the pavement, with steps leading you up into the main bar. This is an atmospheric, bare boarded L-shaped room with the servery directly opposite as you enter. The bar has a modern dark wood counter with rustic corner posts and a mock Tudor style canopy, all supplementing a sympathetic dark wood bar back. To the right there is a small seating area with banquettes and chairs around the perimeter and a plain stone fireplace on the end wall. The left side of the room is notably larger and runs back a short way past the end of the bar. Another austere looking stone fireplace can be found here along with large wingback armchairs directly in front of it and a mix of banquettes and chairs to either side. Decor throughout the pub is primarily of a military bent and includes numerous photos of mounted troops plus a few of the eponymous Duke alongside a few black and white local photos. Elsewhere, there is a huge clock on one wall whilst at the opposite end of the room a large blackboard details a decent sounding pub menu. Posters advertise live music and there was an old swing and jazz soundtrack playing in the background. The pub is currently run by the Wadworth brewery and six of their beers were available across nine handpulls. The choice on this occasion was from 6X, Swordfish, Bishop’s Tipple, IPA, Horizon and St George & Dragon. I tried a pint of the latter which set me back £4.20 but was in very good shape and went down very well having just walked here from St Mary’s. I found this to be a very cosy and welcoming pub which has a nice traditional interior and plenty of comfortable furniture in which to relax over a well kept pint or two. The pub has been a bit of a bastion for good beer in the centre of town over the years and still merits consideration when in the area despite the proliferation of interesting new bars in the last few years.

Old Tudor style pub owned by Wadworth and features a good range of their beers across nine pumps, there was a guest of Portobello Westway Pale on my visit. The L shaped traditional styled main bar reflects the Tudor themed exterior.It's OK here but nothing to get to excited about.

Retaining an impressive Tudor feel both inside and out, the Duke of Wellington is definitely one of the best pubs in Southampton city centre. Several Wadworth ales are available as well as Ringwood Best. My pint of 6X was in good condition and the landlady was friendly. It is a little out of the way location-wise but worth seeking out, particularly if you like old interiors and Wadworth output.