The Dirty Duck, also known as The Black Swan, is a
pub
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
located on
Waterside in
Stratford-upon-Avon,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
History
It has existed as a pub since 1738 and has been known as The Black Swan since 1776, although it may have been given this name earlier.
However, the pub is more commonly known as The Dirty Duck.
It is unclear where this name originates from. One reason could be that it was given this name by brewery families who played darts in the pub.
Another reason could be that actors nicknamed it The Dirty Duck.
It is the only pub in England which has a licence under its two names.
According to the pub menu, the contemporary name, The Dirty Duck, was given to the establishment by American GIs, who were stationed across the river Avon, opposite this establishment, at a military camp during WW2.
The pub was originally three buildings dating from the 15th century before becoming a single property.
One of the buildings became a pub in 1738. A house next door was integrated into the pub in 1866 and in 1937 the pub was extended into a third property.
The building has a
Grade II listing, meaning it is of 'special interest'.
Royal Shakespeare Company connections & notable clientele
The Dirty Duck is located close to two
Royal Shakespeare Company theatres, namely, the
Royal Shakespeare Theatre
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) (originally called the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre) is a grade II* listed 1,040+ seat thrust stage theatre owned by the Royal Shakespeare Company dedicated to the English playwright and poet William Shakespea ...
and the
Swan Theatre and is frequented by actors performing at the theatres and theatre
critics
A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governme ...
. It is also a popular pub for theatregoers. As a result, it has become intrinsically linked to the RSC, described by
The Telegraph
''The Telegraph'', ''Daily Telegraph'', ''Sunday Telegraph'' and other variant names are popular names for newspapers. Newspapers with these titles include:
Australia
* ''The Telegraph'' (Adelaide), a newspaper in Adelaide, South Australia, publ ...
as "the unofficial licensed extension of the Royal Shakespeare Company".
Inside The Dirty Duck, there are many photos of well known actors who have performed at the RSC theatres and visited the pub including
Judi Dench
Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...
and
Richard Burton
Richard Burton (; born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespearean actor in the 1950s, and he gave a memorable pe ...
and many of the photos have been signed.
There is also a table signed by Judi Dench.
once pulled a pint during a visit.
Other notable visitors to The Dirty Duck include
Laurence Olivier and
Richard Attenborough.
Actor Len Parish, who was a member of
Frank Benson's acting company, wrote a poem in the pub called ''Stratford Ale''.
See also
*
List of pubs in the United Kingdom
The following is an incomplete list of notable public houses in the United Kingdom.
England
East Anglia
*The Adam and Eve, Norwich is thought to date to 1249; although the current building was only built in the 17th century.
*The Berne ...
Notes and references
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dirty Duck, The
15th-century architecture
Grade II listed pubs in Warwickshire
Buildings and structures in Stratford-upon-Avon