#081 Black Swan, Henley-in-Arden, Warks : 2001 to 2011

The Black Swan in Henley-in-Arden is one of those pubs that I'd visited quite a few times in the 1980's, but not as a part of any of our canal trips. I always remembered it as a pleasant, traditional country pub that did food and served Davenports beers.

Our first canal related visit was on Sunday 15th April 2001 in the evening. We'd moored up for the night at Preston Bagot only to find that the only pub within walking distance of the cut, The Crabmill, closed at 6pm on Sundays. So, after a quick call to Henley Cars we found ourselves outside the Black Swan.

It was Easter Sunday and as I recall they weren't doing food, but this was more likely because it was between owners/tenants.

We were back again the next year when we visited the Black Swan twice! the first time was on the evening of Friday 29th March 2002. We'd moored at Lowsonford for the evening after filling up with water, but we didn't fancy a night in the Fleur-de-Lys (#026 in this series), mainly because it was more like a restaurant, so we got a taxi to Henley.

The pub was largely unchanged on the outside, except that the To Let sign had gone and the blackboard was advertising food. I'm fairly sure we didn't eat there, opting instead for a curry later on.

We were back again, somewhat unexpectedly, on the lunchtime of Monday 1st April 2002. We'd moored at Lowsonford, opposite the Fleur-de-Lys where we'd intended to have lunch. We only wanted a sandwich, but they'd run out of bread!! Even taking into account that it was Easter Monday this was still a piss poor performance from such a highly rated establishment. So, we upped sticks and caught a cab to Henley where we found ourselves outside the Black Swan yet again.

We had a very pleasant lunchtime snack at a very reasonable price!

Our next visit to the Black Swan wasn't until the evening of Friday 21st March 2008 (Good Friday). Most years we pay a visit to Henley-in-Arden, on our way to Stratford-upon-Avon, but we'd neglected the Black Swan for a few years for no particular reason.

Although this isn't a great photo, you can still make out that there is little change in the exterior decoration of the pub apart from the hanging sign which is new. Again this was the first stop of the night and we didn't eat there.

The next visit was on the evening of Friday 2nd April 2010 (Good Friday again!).

Still no real change and we didn't eat here...again!

Our last visit was on the evening of Friday 29th April 2011.

Finally, some changes - both the wall sign and hanging sign have changed. Inside was largely the same, but I'm fairly sure that it had been refurbished whilst maintaining the overall style as before. Pictures of how it looks now can be seen here.)

#074 The White Swan, Henley-in-Arden : 2000 to 2011

Henley-in-Arden is a village I visit occasionally from the canal, usually at Easter on our trips to Stratford. The White Swan is usually last on our list of places to visit as it isn't the best pub in Henley, but we keep returning in the hope that it will have improved.

This first visit was on Thursday 20th April 2000 when we'd moored up at Preston Bagot and popped into The Crabmill for a pint before ordering a taxi to take us into Henley. We're not great fans of The Crabmill as it is now a country restaurant and not a place to go for a drinking session any more!

On this occasion it looks like we'd asked the taxi driver to drop us here first as I don't think we'd been into The White Swan before. As I recall, it wasn't very appealing to us and felt more like a hotel than a pub. We had just the one pint and left.

Five years later and its Friday 25th March 2005. It looks as though it was our last stop before heading off for a curry.

Not one of my best photos, but from the outside The White Swan was largely the same as before, still Ansells and still not exactly welcoming (and probably a bit rougher inside!). I don't remember too much more as this picture was probably taken after 4 or 5 pints!

Our next visit was on the evening of Friday 6th April 2007; and what a transformation!

Completely refurbished on the inside and re-signed outside. Now it had become a pub in a rustic style with food on offer. Again, this was probably our last stop of the evening before the inevitable curry!

Our most recent visit was on Friday 29th April 2011 and we decided to start our pub crawl through Henley at The White Swan for a change.

From the outside there were more new signs and inside it was still a pub and restaurant in a 'rustic' style. Still not the best pub in Henley, but a vast improvement over our first venture in 2000! It still is a hotel, but doesn't feel as much like one as it did back then!