Scarlett

A couple of weeks ago now a visit to the new-to-us establishment called the Scarlett Arms (reference 1), in Walliswood, a little to the west of the line of Stane Street (reference 2), the once important road from London (Bridge) to Fishbourne Palace (Chichester). I learn from reference 2 that the Roman engineers were sensible chaps in that while they like straight lines, they would deviate to take advantage of labour saving features like the Mole Gap at Dorking.

A small village, seemingly untouched by shops or church, although there is a church in the middle of the woods, maybe half a mile to the east. According to Copilot: 'the Church of St. John the Baptist in Okewood Hill, Surrey, is affectionately known as the 'Church in the Woods'. It was built in the 13th century using local stone and features external buttresses under a Horsham stone roof. Over the centuries, its walls and roof have blended with the wooded surroundings, creating a scene of singular beauty. In spring and summer ... It’s fascinating how this gem was once situated on a major highway near Stane Street ... but now stands as one of the most isolated churches in the South East ...'.

What I presume was once a school more or less opposite, two wings, so presumably segregated into boys and girls, which seems a bit extravagant in a small place.

Inspection through gmaps reveals that the two wings are separated by what I imagine was the accommodation for the head teacher, left in the snap above. Given the segregation, more than one teacher would be needed and given that respectable ladies were expected to retire from paid employment on marriage, we could only think that any supplementary teacher had to settle for some room in some cottage. From where I associated to D.H. Lawrence doing his daily exercises in the bathroom of the terraced house in which he rented a room when he was a teacher in Croydon. They put up with him because, surprisingly, he was very handy with shelves and doors and all that sort of thing.

The pub itself was old, with plenty of old fittings and furniture. Furthermore, it still had the atmosphere of a country pub of old. People drinking, people playing cribbage and all that sort of thing.

We wondered whether the original idea was to sit in the fireplace, on little benches to left and right, where the logs are now. In which case it might have got rather hot.

Food a little quirky, but good. So I had an interesting, but substantial take on humus to start and a quite decent pie to follow. A pie which came with white gravy. Gravy which matched the sauce in the pie which was fair enough - but I don't think I have ever had white gravy on the side before.

A pleasant establishment in a pleasant spot. I dare say it gets busy at weekends, especially on fine summer Sundays.

PS 1: according to Gemini, named for one James Scarlett, a successful lawyer and politician whose family had made their money out of slaves in Jamaica. Connection with Surrey fairly weak. To be found at reference 5. Zooming in on the pub sign in gmaps, I find a rather fanciful version of the arms offered at reference 6. Perhaps naming country pubs used to be much the same as it is at Wetherspoon's now: you just grab whatever bit of local history comes to hand.

The building is said to be 17th century, well before this Scarlett, so at what point did it become the public house it is now? A  visit to the maps of the Scottish National Library suggests that the hamlet was called Waleyswood in 1874, the building the pub was in was there but the school was not. But by 1913, the name was Walliswood and both school and pub were present, albeit with this last being marked 'BH'.

On further prompting, Gemini admits to joining up the dots. A pub called Scarlett is probably named for the most prominent Scarlett to be found in the vicinity. He also tells me that 'BH' is beer house, not the same as a public house under the licensing arrangements of old. The abbreviation at least is confirmed by an Ordnance Survey list of same.

PS 2: next stop the nearby Hannah Peschar sculpture garden, to the northeast of the pub on the map above. I am not usually that keen on outdoor sculpture, certainly not the sort of thing you find at places like Wisley, but this garden looks rather different. See reference 3.

PS 3: Hall & Woodhouse operate the pub we usually stay in when we visit Faketown, aka Poundbury. A pub with a lot going for it. Not least a fancy dining room upstairs and a fancy wine shop nearly next door.

PS 4: a little later: interested to read at reference 7 that congestion charging is as tricky an issue in New York as it is in London.

References

Reference 1: https://scarlettarms.co.uk/.

Reference 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stane_Street.

Reference 3: https://www.hannahpescharsculpture.com/.

Reference 4: https://www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk/. The pub web site says nothing that I could see about being a member of the Hall & Woodhouse family, but they were happy enough to tell me on the spot. Been one for thirty years or more.

Reference 5: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Scarlett,_1st_Baron_Abinger.

Reference 6: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baron_Abinger.

Reference 7: Hochul Halts Congestion Pricing in a Stunning 11th-Hour Shift: Weeks before New York was to charge motorists to enter Manhattan’s business district, Gov. Kathy Hochul postponed the program citing economic concerns - Grace Ashford, New York Times - 2024.