Home

This old and well-known hostelry stands in the oldest part of the pretty village of Sherington; the village stands on the gently rolling hills that overlook the Ouse Valley to the east of Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire.

It is highly probable that THE WHITE HART is the oldest of the two public houses in the village owing to its being nearer the centre of the true Medieval village, i.e. around the Church, the spread of building westward to the Newport Pagnell – Olney road taking place most likely in the 15th and 16th century.

The name of the house is significant. Many houses of this name were called after the White Hart, which was the favourite badge of King Richard II – 1367 – 1400, who, at a tournament in Smithfield in 1390 had the entire Royal household, arrayed in clothing and accoutrements emblazoned with this design. In the case of this hostelry however, the sign probably comes from the device of the Andrews family who formerly owned land in Sherington and at Lathbury where their seat was.

Historically the house is well situated. It stands within the perimeter of the Iron Age camp, which encompassed the area on which The Church, Church Farm, and some of the neighbouring properties now stand. This Belgic camp circa 75BC to 40AD was identified in 1957 and much pottery typical of the period has been recovered and is now in the County Museum, Aylesbury.

The Roman road from Magiovinium to the valley of the River Nene passes nearby and Roman coins are occasionally found in the adjacent gardens. During the building of the new Church School and the new rectory, Roman tile and pottery was discovered in small quantities and there is also a tumulus at the corner of the field called Bancroft in which Roman coins were found during road widening operations.

At the beginning of the 20th Century the Hostelry was noteworthy for having a landlord whose weight was 28 stones! Henry Hill, the then licensee, owned and held the licences of three public houses at once. THE WHITE HART, The Royal Oak (now a private house to the west of The White Hart in Church End) and the Red Lion at Chichley, (now renamed the Chester Arms)

The Beer at this time was brewed next door at the old Malting and Brew-house in the garden of Hillcrest, opposite the Lyon Gate of the church. This small brewery was run by John and then Fred Field who also farmed Church Farm as their forefathers did from about 1580 and whom descendants still do so today.

The present building is about 300 years old. Noteworthy is a piece of rush mat backing the wall seats in the Snug Bar. The making of this material was at one time a village industry of Sherington and the rushes were taken from the River Ouse, which flows nearby to form the western boundary of the Parish of Sherington.

A warm welcome awaits you!

The White Hart Gun Lane Sherington Tel: 01908 611953
email: [email protected]