The Welsh Harp

[poliphilo]

The Welsh Harp is a nice old pub in the centre of the town of Waltham Abbey. It looks out onto the square and backs onto the churchyard- and a little passageway runs under it from one to the other. Its odd name (because what's a Welsh harp doing in Essex?) is a Victorian confection. It used to be known as The Harp- pure and simple- and the adjective seems to have been added in the 1860s to mark the coming of age of The Prince of Wales- later Edward VII.

We chose to have lunch there on the day the deep fat frier broke down- so no chips. A lady at the table next to us threw a strop about this- and threatened to walk out with all her party- but we were sweetly understanding and the harrassed landlord rewarded us with free drinks and a reduction in the price of the meal. So, hooray for The Welsh Harp!

And even without chips it was a very good lunch- cooked to order, which is very far from being the norm...

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

early 17th century at a guess.

Do people really throw a wobbler over a lack of chips?

Pathetic!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I'd guess earlier than that, but I don't know for sure.

The service was slow- but the landlord did warn them- because everything was being cooked to order (he warned us too)- and then the frier broke down and complicated things, but what the hell, it was a nice place to sit and the beer was good.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Exactly!

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

It looks really characterful. If you aren't going anywhere in particular, it's no hardship to wait a while for a meal.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No-one seems to know quite how old it is, but I suspect it's been there in some form since the middle ages...

Yes, we weren't in a hurry. And why spread negativity when there's no need for it?

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

Agreed. My goodness, to throw a fit over a few chips - I've never understood it. It's not as though they were the only thing on the menu.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

To be fair the menu featured chips with just about everything.

[arielstarshadow.livejournal.com]

*laugh*

Sure, but the rest of the food was still there!

(Why am I hearing the old Monty Python spam skit in my head now, only with "chips" in place of "spam")

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

D'y'get wafers with it? :o)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ailz had the same reaction.

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Amazing disregard for horizontals and verticals there...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I found a picture of it as it was in the 1890s and the subsidence seems to have happened since then.

[porsupah.livejournal.com]

Ah, interesting! I'd have otherwise assumed it was a much more gradual process. Reminded me somewhat of the George Inn a few miles SE of Bath, which has left its stonework uncovered, so all the glorious wonkiness is there to play havoc with anyone expecting right angles. ^_^

[athenais.livejournal.com]

It must seem like walking the decks of a boat, it goes up and down so much! I'm glad the lunch was good.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I love saggy old buildings.