BROWN SOUP AND BASS

September 2024. Cambridge.

One point for recognising the flower,

a second for the birdie,

those two both from my sister’s field, and a third for recognising the pub just from that soup menu (top).

Yep, it’s the Queen’s Head in Newton, aka the Brown Soup pub, one of Stafford Paul’s musts on his first visit to Cambridge since, well, I was still in short trousers.

I’d given BRAPA and Sheffield Hatter lifts there, so Paul completed a hat-trick of visits with #PubMen greats.

A bit quiet this Friday at noon,

so Paul had the pick of the seating in the Public, splashing out on a sensational looking sausage roll to accompany that pint of Adnams (“drinking well“).

As Paul’s chauffeur, I was unfortunately abstaining, and left Paul to enjoy a second pint in the company of Percy the Pelican (or is it a Toucan ?),

while I popped across the road to a newish looking “farm shop” selling adequate sausage rolls to a much bigger crowd.

I’ve said it before, South Cambs isn’t a hotbed of pub activity.

Across from Paul, a couple of locals were entertaining equally impressed and bemused Japanese visitors.

“So, do you visit this pub often ?” ask the guests.

“Oh, yes, we use it regularly…” (consults wife)… “yes, been here twice this year“.

10 minutes north-east, I treated Paul to a first visit to that other rural Cambridgeshire classic.

Is that a red triangle under that front umbrella ? Spooky.

Tom at the Hare & Hounds had been observing Paul’s crawl, and come up with a too good to miss offer.

The Bass may be the draw, but it’s the greeting from Tom (and his legendary fish and chips) that brings the villagers out in force every lunchtime I go.

Two classics.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

33 thoughts on “BROWN SOUP AND BASS”

      1. I have and my brother will after next weekend. Tough to pick a favorite. The Square and Compass was really something even though we were there on a really busy day.

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      2. As a pub, the Roscoe wins for me, but Worth Matravers is a wonderful setting and Newton is a timeless pub. Need to revisit the Star, Buckingham Arms will be the first of the 5 to drop out.

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      3. No, despite 1990s holidays in Dorset I’ve never been in the Square and Compass, situated in a wrong corner of the county. I’ve known the three city ones since the 1970s and, easily accessible, used them during the past ten years.

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      5. We are flexible on timing since we are there three nights. Our greatest hits are Strugglers Inn, Victoria, Joiners Arms, Royal William IV, Cardinal’s Hat, Birdcage, Dog and Bone, Morning Star and Stag’s Head (may eat here Sunday).

        We have BearHeadZ, Duke William, The Horse and Groom, The Lion and Snake and The Witch and the Wardrobe in our pocket for accessible W/Cs.

        Curious what you have that we don’t. The greatest hits have some really great ones in my opinion.

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      6. Dave, I must first stress that you four have travelled the distance and so must NOT miss any of your intended pubs to fit in with my favourites. Of your nine ‘greatest hits’ three are on my list of seven – the Victoria, Strugglers and Dog & Bone. I think you might like the Still for its heritage interior. As for my other three, two nights in Lincoln could give me the chance of getting to the Peacock and the Treaty of Commerce beyond when we’re meeting up and the Queen In The West is where I’ll be staying. We tend to like the same sort of pubs – Proper Pubs – and so I would probably be quite content or pleased with any to all of your six others, the Joiners Arms, Cardinals Hat, Morning Star, Stags Head, Royal William IV and Birdcage.

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      10. Dave,
        IPA being the Champion Bitter of Britain twenty years ago and still one of the finest beers from Bury St Edmunds.

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    2. Dave,
      Suggest for Tuesday 1st October a leisurely route round several of the fourteen pubs you mentioned and that should suit me fine.
      It’ll be good to see you all again after almost exactly five years.

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      Reply

      1. Dave,
        That’s unless you have something else planned for Tuesday 1st October were intending the Monday or the Wednesday.

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      3. Paul, what do you think of this: The Still – Birdcage – Cardinal’s Hat – Morning Star – Strugglers\Victoria. Seems to work starting from 11 or 12. I think Strugglers and Victoria are the two where we would likely sit longer. Five years is too long.

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      5. Dave,
        Yes, that looks fine.
        I should be at the Still for the 11am opening time.
        Where are you staying ?
        Looking forward to the day.

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  2. So many years before I got there and the Queens Head deserved no less than an hour or two pints. I was actually in the pub less time than waiting outside it given the infrequency of the buses.
    Call me “legendary” and publicans won’t accept payment for the beer I’m buying. That’d be wonderful if it wasn’t totally at odds with my mission to save pubs !
    It was a great two hours with you and so kindly chauffeuring me from Newton to Milton must have saved me nearly that time for the three buses I otherwise would have needed.

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      1. Yes, as it had been years since I was in an Elgoods pub and the Cambridge Bitter was fine. The Waggon and Horses was quiet and only two other pints of cask were served while I was there, Doom Bar and London Pride.
        Back in Cambridge I used the Castle ( Southwold Bitter, Broadside ), Champion of the Thames again ( Abbot ) and Free Press ( IPA ).
        Then it was two days for Norwich, Cromer and Sheringham.

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      3. Dave,
        A few days ago were my first ever two visits, each of an hour, to Cromer so that’s a part of England you know better than me !

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