Pub 151, Day 56 – Old Queens Head

By Rob

How dost thou, most beloved reader? Tis time for thee to heareth a noble tale, of two valorous and princely gentlemen, whom didst and doth frequent manifold inns. Upon this occasion, thee wilt findeth them in the Hawle at the Poandes, partaking each in pots of ale.

The above paragraph gives you a taste of just how annoying it might have been if I’d written this entire post in faux-Shakespearian English, as I’d originally planned.

'Why would you do something so painfully irritating and pointless,' you ask?

Because the pub in question is one of the oldest buildings in Sheffield, dating from c. 1475. It first appeared in the written sources in 1582, in an inventory of the estate of George Talbot, the 6^th Earl of Shrewsbury. It was there recorded as the ‘Hawle at the Poandes’ (Hall i’ th’ Ponds), and was likely used as a dining hall for those well-heeled gents hunting waterfowl at the local ponds.^[1] The birds could be found in the now-vanished waters that formed at the confluence of Porter Brook and the River Sheaf, from which Pond Hill and Pond Street get their names.

Having finished up at the Lord Nelson, we all (Andy, Beki and I) headed over to the Old Queens Head. Now, your first impression of the pub will likely depend upon the direction from which you approach it. If you’re arriving from the west, walking up Pond Hill, then you’ll see a deeply unimpressive building squatting next to the bus interchange. From the other direction, however, you will be greeted by a splendid timber-framed pub, the antiquity of which is immediately apparent. This is because the pub, which was originally limited to the nondescript development, eventually expanded into the Grade II* listed building next door.

Inside, it’s fair to say the pub isn’t quite so impressive. This isn’t to say there aren’t some fantastic features: the wooden roof beams, carved figurines, and old fireplace are all worth seeing. However, much of the pub is located inside the newer building and, as such, looks pretty standard. The section within the older part, while much more striking, seemed to be a dining area. I couldn’t help but think that some big armchairs and a roaring fire would’ve looked more at home than menus, condiments and napkins.

Once at the bar, we were pleased to see a few cask pumps with guest ales on offer. We each opted for a pint of Santa’s Swallie – a delightfully sweet tasting beer that left a warm, gingery spice at the back of the throat.

Beki, meanwhile, was at a loss. She had no idea what to order. She couldn’t decide whether to continue on the beer, or start on the spirits. The barman clearly wanted to know whether he should pour two, or three, pints.

Two beer, or not two beer, that was the question.

Pub: Old Queens Head (40 Pond Hill, S1 2BG)

Rating: 6.5/10

Pint: Santa’s Swallie

Brewery: Inverlamond Brewery (Perth)

NEXT UP: The scariest pub in Sheffield, at the Hen & Chickens...

---

[1] Old Queens Head, https://www.theoldqueenshead.co.uk/