Hooray for Horatio...

'And loudly roared the earthly thunder along the river Nile,
And the British ship Orion went into action in splendid style;
Also Nelson's ship Vanguard bore down on the foe,
With six flags flying from her rigging high and low.'
from ‘The Battle of the Nile' by William Topaz McGonagall

Nelson v Villeneuve - Battle of Trafalgar - not Nile (or Formula 1)

 Records suggest that the Lord Nelson in Hythe, Hampshire, first became a pub around 1800, previously being two cottages.  This was just after the famous victory against the French in the Battle of the Nile in 1798 and so the new pub was named after Horatio the naval hero.

It seems to have kept the Lord Nelson name ever since.

Pub photo of the Lord Nelson and the Drummond Arms in the background - 1930s?

 This pub is on the CAMRA list of heritage interiors and is grade II listed.  Except for it’s  modern large rear extension, which virtually doubles its size, the three original rooms each served by a bar, retain its original layout.
The best room is the tiny snug called The Poop Deck - very 'old nautical’ with wood panelling and glazed screens....

The Captain’s word is Law in The Poop Deck snug.

Unfortunately it is so small that I couldn’t get a decent photo of it without poking the camera up the noses of the occupants...so the sign and ceiling will have to do...

Pump clip ceiling - historical but not ‘old nautical'

 Not content with being named after a nautical hero, the pub has also had some famous drinkers in it’s time including Benny Hill and Peter O’Toole...

Peter and Benny - pub article from local paper.

Of course while Peter is famous for playing Lawrence of Arabia, the chances are that the real T. E. Lawrence might have also used the pub, as he lived in the cottage down the street...

Blue plaque cottage

Tom lived here - briefly...

 The pub, not surprisingly, has much nautical paraphernalia including prints of Horatio’s ships in the thick of battle, and the Titanic etc.  There is also a Saints (Southampton FC) corner for the supporters, comprising a framed signed Saints shirt, a photo of St Mary’s stadium and a signed England shirt, which might be something to do with Matt le Tissier (or someone else who played for Saints and England).
This handy ‘tube map’ of Southampton 'pubstops’ was produced by Ringwood Brewery. No doubt RetiredMartin will find it a handy alternative to his OS app when he’s next in the area...

Multi-million pound underground system for Southampton in Corbyn election manifesto...(fake news)

I suppose I ought to mention that I had a beer while I was here...there was a choice but it was a no brainer....

No Razor Back - No Brainer...

The Brains SA with lovely creamy head was at least a good pint.
Having wandered round all the rooms, like a good pub blogger should, I retired with my pint to the rear room with it’s pleasant views over the beer garden and Hythe promenade to Southampton Water.

Lovely courtyard beer garden by the seaside (Plant pots for Australian plants or smokers?)

Hythe promenade ‘installation’ donated by Highways England after project ‘Motorway Mega-cone' abandoned...

On Saturday lunchtime there was a good mix of old and younger customers in all of the four rooms of the pub, eating lunch or just having a drink.  The sound of conversations filled the pub with topics as diverse as football and valeting cars.

Group discussing potential relegation in the 'Saints corner'

There was a complete absence of references to ‘splicing the mainbrace’, rum rations or “golly is that your yacht", which tells me that this is a pub for the down to earth people of Hythe and district, rather than the yellow welly brigade from the nearby Hythe Marina Village.
Perhaps that is important in preserving its heritage and preventing it becoming another wine bar... and though the Lord Nelson isn’t in the Good Beer Guide, perhaps it should be...

Beer Mat Moment...

Brains Brewery ‘WRU Proud Sponsors’ (A Side)

Brains Brewery ‘WRU Proud Sponsors’ - (B Side)