Home > Essex > Roydon > White Horse White Horse
Picture source: Darkstar
The White Horse was situated on the High Street and is now used as an Indian restaurant.
Local newspaper review by John Cutting, 1966
Within a proverbial stone’s throw of the conurbation of new Harlow and, at the same time, readily accessible by rail to London, Roydon yet manages to retain a true village atmosphere. Even today some of the older people have seen little of the outside world and the appearance of the High-street has remained practically unchanged during the past 30 years. At the upper end of the village and known to everyone in Roydon as The Top House, is the 16th century White Horse with its attractive modern sign. Brian and Audrey Feltham, who have been in charge of the inn for the past five years, are enthusiastic about the wonderful spirit in the village and claim that they attract a great deal of the local trade. Members of Roydon Cricket Club, whose ground is near the White Horse, are supporters of the inn and, in the public bar, there is an amusing cartoon depicting the club personalities in 1953. What a pity that so many clubs seem to consider one team photograph each year to be a sufficient record for posterity. Last year the brewers carried out a major reconstruction of the inn, as a result of which they have managed successfully to combine the charm of the 16th century with the comforts of today. Many of the original timbers were discovered to be in perfect condition and the ancient beams in conjunction with a modern curved bar make up a happy blend of the old with the new. The whole effect, highlighted by some cleverly placed lamps, must indeed be considered a triumph for the architect. The saloon has been decorated with good taste and the aspect is pleasing and restful. A splendid old fireplace complete with inglenooks was uncovered during the alterations and, although the original baking oven was destroyed by the builders, the chimney piece and hearth make a striking feature in the saloon. It is still possible to trace the original layout of the building. Once there were stairs facing the front door and the continuation of the staircase still exists on the floor above leading to what was a maid’s room at the top of the house. The original beams have, at one point, been cut away to allow a window to be built into the wall. A large sporting gun has pride of place on the back of the fireplace. It belonged originally to a rector of Parndon and a large sporting parson he must have been! In due course Brian Feltham plans to attach additional guns and swords to the walls. A representation of the signs of the zodiac superimposed on an ancient map of the world makes an interesting picture. It is a copy of an old print and the figures all present a heavy Teutonic appearance. While the modern seating arrangements in the saloon are tasteful and comfortable, the public bar retains an old-fashioned look with functional forms and a scrubbed wooden table. There the darts team have the advantage of a well-placed board and they have, I understand, made a successful start to the new season. There are stables at the rear of the White Horse, one of which retains its original character. Horse-dealing transactions were once carried out at the inn. Those were the days when the beer was kept behind the bar in galvanised zinc tanks and scooped out in quart tankards. By the end of the evening the floor of the bar was literally swimming with beer. Today the beer is served with a far greater regard for hygiene, but I was happy to learn from the landlord that more and more draught beer is being sold. In spite of the blandishments of advertisements on television the younger generation are showing no great enthusiasm for the synthetic aerated keg and are turning back to draught beer. May the trend continue.
Do you have any anecdotes, historical information, updates or photos of this pub? Become a contributor by submitting them here. Want to make contact with other customers and publicans of this pub? Add your details here.
Other Photos
Publican Brian Feltham, right, 1966	Picture source: John Cutting