The Trout Inn is a

pub A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...

next to the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

Lechlade Lechlade () is a town at the edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England, south of Birmingham and west of London. It is the highest point at which the River Thames is navigable, although there is a right of navigation that continues sout ...

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

, England. The Grade II listed stone building consists of two two-storey structures, one

late medieval The late Middle Ages or late medieval period was the period of European history lasting from 1300 to 1500 AD. The late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Europe, the Renai ...

and the other added in the 18th century. The building began as an

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) is charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the Middle Ages. They were often built for the poor of a locality, for those who had held ce ...

for workers on the adjoining St John's Bridge in the 1220s, before becoming part of a

priory A priory is a monastery of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. They were created by the Catholic Church. Priories may be monastic houses of monks or nuns (such as the Benedictines, the Cistercians, or t ...

and then an inn.

Location

The pub is located on the

Thames Path The Thames Path is a National Trail following the River Thames from one of its sources near Kemble, Gloucestershire, Kemble in Gloucestershire to the Woolwich foot tunnel, south east London. It is about long. A path was first proposed in 1948 ...

close to

St John's Lock St John's Lock, below the town of Lechlade, Gloucestershire, is the furthest upstream lock on the River Thames in England. The name of the lock derives from a priory that was established nearby in 1250, but which no longer exists. The lock was ...

and St John's Bridge, where the River Cole and the

River Leach The River Leach is a river and upper tributary to the River Thames, Thames, in England which runs almost entirely in Gloucestershire. It is approximately 18 miles (29 km) long, springing from the limestone uplands of the Cotswolds. In parts ...

join the Thames on opposite banks. Mooring for boats is available and small boats can be hired from the pub garden. The pub is on the

A417 The A417 is a main road in England, running from Streatley, Berkshire to Hope under Dinmore, Herefordshire. It is best known for its section between Cirencester and Gloucester where it has primary status and forms part of the link between the ...

on the outskirts of Lechlade. There is a camp site next to the pub. The pub owns of fishing rights.

History

The building was started in the 1220s by Peter Fitzherbert as a

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

, dedicated to

St. John the Baptist John the Baptist ( – ) was a Jewish preacher active in the area of the Jordan River in the early first century AD. He is also known as Saint John the Forerunner in Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy, John the Immerser in some Baptist ...

, which had the mandate of caring for workmen on the bridge. The building was part of the Augustinian Lechlade Priory founded in the 13th century by Isabella de Mortimer; in 1252

Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall Richard (5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was an English prince who was King of the Romans from 1257 until his death in 1272. He was the second son of John, King of England, and Isabella, Countess of Angoulême. Richard was nominal Count of P ...

became its patron. The priory survived until its dissolution in 1472. At that time, the building became known as an inn called ''Ye Sygne of St John Baptist Head''. The name was changed to The Trout Inn in 1704. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, The Trout provided the residence for the

lock keeper A lock keeper, lock tender, or lock operator looks after a canal or river lock, operating it and if necessary maintaining it or organizing its maintenance. Traditionally, lock keepers lived on-site, often in small purpose-built cottages. A lock ke ...

of St John's Lock; this function was discontinued in 1830 when a lock house was built. The pub is a venue for regular music events, particularly jazz, though one event in January 2014 had to be cancelled because of flooding. The pub serves

draught beer Draught beer, also spelt draft, is beer served from a cask or keg rather than from a bottle or can. Draught beer served from a pressurised keg is also known as Name Until Joseph Bramah patented the beer engine in 1785, beer was served ...

and is Cask Marque accredited.

Architecture

The original, two-storey structure is

. Its interior incorporates timber-beamed ceilings. Near the end of the 18th century, a two-storey addition was made on the northern side; this building features stone construction and a slate roof. The newer structure features a pair of 12-pane

sash window A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels, or "sashes". The individual sashes are traditionally paned windows, but can now contain an individual sheet (or sheets, in the case of double glazing) of glass. History ...

s on each floor, a half-glazed door, and a gabled entryway. To the rear of the buildings lie an old-fashioned garden, an orchard, and a pool.

References

External links

{{Commons category, The Trout Inn, Lechlade Grade II listed pubs in Gloucestershire 1220s establishments in England Lechlade-on-Thames