A Unique Environment

The inn dates back to the 13th century, and retains some of the special character of an ancient building. On the outside wall you can still see the Sun Life badge, indicating that the inn was insured against fire and was entitled to the services of a private fire engine. The Sun Life certificate hangs in the lounge. Other notable documents on display include indentures from Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.

The bar is divided by a panel reputedly from a ship of the Spanish Armada- you can see two marks where keys were hung , marking an arc as they swung with the ship’s motion. Some people report seeing the image of a face in the wood- we’ll leave that one to you. Hanging from the beams are several old wooden skittles, almost weightless now as time has dried them out. The assortment of shell casings pushed into the beams denote the inn’s past as a resting place for hunters. Perhaps the biggest mystery in the bar area is the location of the tunnel which links the inn to the church- the entrance has long been covered up but there are people alive today who remember using it.

Another Church House intrigue involves the famous Sherlock Holmes story The Hound of the Baskervilles. A local writer, Bertram Fletcher Robinson, a patron of the inn, is believed to have influenced (some say written) the tale, and discussed it with Conan Doyle at the inn. There are rumours that Fletcher Robinson may have met with a a foul end in order to cover up his role in the writing of the tale. He is buried in Ipplepen churchyard, apparently in a lead lined coffin. Requests to exhume the body to resolve the mystery have so far been refused.