White Horse

oxfordian1

Small but perfectly formed 7th January 2009

2 found this helpful

Located opposite the Sheldonian Theatre and the Bodleian Library, The White Horse couldn't be more historical if it tried. Fortunately it hasn't tried and remains a good old fashioned beer house. I was once informed that it was Winston Churchill's favorite pub, but as he is unlikely to dispute this it is a claim that many pubs might have made. Presuming Woodstock's favorite son did frink here I suspect he would have quickly clogged it up with smoke, and I still fondly remember the days when raw lungs were included in the price of a pint at this pub. I know we'll all live longer and I have long since given up myself, but I still think these town centre drinking holes lack something since the ban.

Location dictates a surplus of students and tourists at most times. The fact that it is little more than a corridor with a bar and chairs crammed in sees them often spilling out onto Broad Street, but they are generally a good natured bunch, more likely to be parsing latin verbs than obstructing passers-by. I've had some vvery enjoyable nights in here though, and the beer is generally well kept with something interesting normally on tap.