The Shepherd and Dog

The Hostelry was built as a beer house by John Blinker in the year 1862, many of the flints incorporated in this building being collected from local fields by family and friends. the original part of the building related to the beer trade consisted of an entrance room, a tap room and a beer cellar, the latter being situated at the rear of the thatched cottages then overlooking the brook. When John Blinker died in 1886, the premises were sold to Green King, the Bury St Edmunds brewers. 

William Blinker, John's son took over as landlord. He continued until 1916, when, as a result of an accident he died and his widow Emma took over. She was landlady until 1936, when she died aged 97. She was said to the oldest landlady in England. Emma brought up two of her grandsons, Frank Clark and Gilbert Vincent. In 1936 Gilbert took over and continued until the premises were sold as a private dwelling to Mr Duff of French Hall farm in 1947. For many years the Shepherd and Dog formed a central part of village life, many social functions being held there including harvest horkeys and harvest breakfasts in the early 1900's. Emma Blinker being well known for her catering prowess. 

In the latter years normal pub activities were carried out including outings, going as far afield as Skegness. When its closure was announced a petition was drawn up to try to change Greene Kings mind over the closure, to no avail. The pub was popular with the young men of the village, who were not welcome at the Kings Head. Eric Betts remembers that he and his friends would gather there in the evenings to socialise and play games. He recalls that one of the seats had a hole cut in it which formed part of a local game, to see who could toss a coin in. Even in 1985, there are some of us who remember, especially on a hot summers day, the cool tiled floor tap room with its scrubbed wooden tables, wooden benches and above all ale drawn straight from the wood, served in blue-white or brown earthenware mugs. At weekends it was a recognised walk from neighbouring villages for a pleasant pint at the Shepherd and Dog.