The Drill House Public House, Stanford Rivers

Down the years the Journal has published articles about public houses in the High Country past and present. The Drill House, which closed in 1999, has been omitted with the only reference made to it being the Victorian pillar box in its wall.²¹⁵ The current paper edition of OS Explorer Map No. 183 (dated 2012) still has it marked with the symbol of a blue beer jug. Thirsty walkers will be disappointed.

Not much is mentioned about the former pub on the Internet.

In 1995 it was the starting point of one of twenty pubs featured in the book ‘Pub Walks in West Essex’ by Norman Skinner which he described as follows:

“The Drill House is a pub which stands proudly by itself. The name refers to a farm drilling machine not the military kind! It lies in the north of Stanford Rivers on the Greensted border. Look for the red Victorian letter box let into the building. just a few hundred yards to the north at Drapers Corner, about 200 years ago a man named Draper was hanged for stealing sheep. It is said that he still haunts the corner!

“The Drill House is an attractive building with on the left a substantial duck pond and garden. It was very rural 30 years ago when farm animals used to walk through the bar to get to the back! Now it is a smart house indeed, with food and drink to satisfy most tastes.”

Andrew Smith

²¹⁵ See Journal No. 22: A Victorian Pillar Box – High Country History Group