The Lamb, Old Town, Eastbourne

In the heart of the Old Town part of Eastbourne is The Lamb Inn, an attractive looking black and white Tudor style timbered building. The hanging pub sign bears the date “AD 1180”. Clarification is provided on a fascia panel by the entrance which tells us that “this public house dates from 1240, the cellars date from 1180, the lower bar and function rooms 1742”. We also learn that it is a former coaching inn and “one of the oldest houses of entertainment in the country” A timber framed U shaped bar servery on the left hand side as you go in serves 3 different interconnecting rooms. What would appear to be the locals bar at the front has a dartboard, several fruit machines and a large screen TV, but leaded windows and low ceiling beams give a reasonably traditional feel. In one corner, a number of old photos record instances where local buses have dropped in unannounced, seemingly causing not inconsiderable damage. Quite why this is is not immediately obvious as the pub occupies a central High Street position and not one on a sharp cornered bend or hill. Behind the public bar is a more comfortable, carpeted lounge bar. This room is dimly lit with gas lamps, dark beams and fairy lights. Traditional seating includes some padded settles. The walls are decorated with old framed photos and prints and some horse brasses. It’s an attractive, characterful room which would appear to be food orientated. However, on my recent late Sunday afternoon visit, a couple of musicians – advertised as Jessie Pie and The Thorn – were strumming up their guitars in front of the splendid inglenook fireplace, forcing me to beat a swift retreat to one of the other rooms. On the right of the main entrance, down a few steps, in what would appear to be an extension to the original building, is a larger dimly lit room with a more modern feel, featuring burgundy coloured walls and ceiling, padded seating with cushions and a notable absence of timber, compared with the other two rooms. On the walls are framed photos of local scenes – Eastbourne, Seven Sisters etc – for sale. A longish corridor, the walls of which are decorated with the usual photographs of other Harveys pubs and the Lewes brewery, leads to the gents toilets, immediately outside of which we see a stone built well with a glass covering. Notably, there’s nothing on the wall close by telling me about this well or what is at the bottom, but, on a noticeboard nearby, a notice tells us that “ all beers are kept in our 1000 year old crypt” and invites me to “please ask for a tour by appointment”, so there’s probably a connection. Local history records tell us that this crypt was a former monastic room and that a subterranean passage leads to The Old Parsonage, next door to St Mary’s Church close by. Back in 1240, the building later to become the current public house was owned by the Rector of the church. An upstairs room ( not visited ) hosts an active Folk Club and also, apparently Comedy Nights. Previously, this room hosted a Fringe Theatre, the first pub theatre in Eastbourne, as recently as 2009, but this appears to be no longer running. Interestingly, the previously mentioned extension of the original inn hosted amateur dramatic productions, in some of which Dickens participated, and this was known as The Assembly Rooms. The Lamb Inn is one of three Harveys pubs in Eastbourne ( although The Terminus was closed at the time of my visit ) and was offering Best, Old and Armada, which were all in good form. It’s a bit of a trek out here from the seafront / pier area of modern Eastbourne, particularly on a cold and windy November late afternoon, but I thought it was worth it and would look to revisit when next in Eastbourne, probably arranging a tour of the crypt at the same time if at all possible.

This is an old pub with the vaulted cellar apparently dating back to 1180. The main bar is no spring chicken itself as you can see the beams bowing and the old subsidence. The olde world feel is topped off by the dark ornate furniture that is all around the pub. There is a Perspex covered hole that looks down to the old cellar, but the bulb had blown a while ago so it just looks like a bottomless pit. This is a Harveys pub so there were 3 Harveys beers available that were in good nick. I found the barmaid to be very friendly and the regulars in ‘pig corner' polite. My only gripe with this place is the lack of beer garden and having to smoke in the street or on the bench next to the pub. It makes it look like yobs are loitering when in fact they are just enjoying the evening with a pint and a demon cigarette. Maybe some of the carpark could be utilised for this. All in all a great pub that I will be visiting again.