Hello everyone. I received an email recently from a blog reader asking if I had created an Inspector Morse pub crawl. I replied that I hadn’t but what a jolly good idea it would be for a blog post. So, here is this blog post.
I have also created three downloadable PDFs which can be found at the end of this post. The PDFs include one alphabetised by pub location, one alphabetised by postcode and one alphabetised by Morse episode title. Simply click on the PDF link and it will open in another window. You will then have the option to save, download and print. I hope this will help. You could then upload the PDFs to your tablet or phone.
So let us get started with the pub crawl. This ‘crawl’ consists of five pubs. The obvious place to start is the Morse Bar in the Randolph Hotel, Beaumont Street, Oxford.
The Morse bar was used as a location in The Wench is Dead and The Wolvercote Tongue.
The second pub to visit is the Eagle and Child which was used in the episodes, Second Time Around and The Way Through the Woods.
The next port of call is The King’s Arms. This was used as a location in the episode, The Secret of Bay 5B.
If you are still feeling thirsty while on route to the King’s Arms you could stop in at The Lamb and Flag located on Lamb and Flag Passage. However, I don’t believe it was ever used in a Morse episode as a location.
Onwards and upwards our next location is The White Horse. This pub was used as a location in Absolute Conviction, Dead of Jericho, Deadly Slumber, Last Seen Wearing, Service of All the Dead and The Secret of Bay 5B.
After The White Horse the next pub is the Turf Tavern. The Turf was used in the episodes, The Silent World of Nicholas Quinn and Absolute Conviction.
It is a hop, skip and a jump from The White Horse to the Turf Tavern.
Below is a map of all five pubs.
If you are still standing after visiting the five pubs there is a sixth but it is a little further away but certainly it isn’t too far and it a nice route to walk. That pub is the Bear Inn which was used as a location in the episode Absolute Conviction. However, Morse and Lewis never drank there. In the episode Lewis is following what he believes to be an escaped prisoner.
Below is how to get from the Turf Tavern to the Bear Inn.
I hope the above is helpful. However, do not blame me for any hangovers that are incurred the next day 😉
My next idea for a pub crawl is one by car. Of course it should go without saying that you either only drink soft drinks or get yourself a designated driver. This ‘crawl’ does depend on where you are staying in Oxford. As a starting point I have assumed you are staying in the city of Oxford. I have included four pubs in this pub car crawl.
The first pub to visit is The Perch Inn that was used a as a location in The Daughter’s of Cain. On leaving the city drive west down Botley Road the A4144. You are looking for Binsey Lane which will be on your right.
Drive up Binsey Lane until you come to this area shown in the picture below.
The full address is Binsey Ln, Binsey, Oxford OX2 0NG.
Our next pub is the The White Hart, Wytham, Oxford, OX2 8QA. The White Hart was only used once in the original Morse series in the episode, The Way Through The Woods.
Unfortunately one has to drive back down Binsey Lane back to Botley Road. When you get to the junction of the these two roads turn right. Go west along Botley Road which then becomes the West Way. Turn into A420 as you want to get on the Western Bypass Road (A34).
Go north on the Western Bypass Road . Take the first exit off the Western Bypass Road for Godstow and Wytham.
When you come off the Western Bypass Road you will see this below. (Of course minus the black arrow and writing 😉 )
Keep following this road until you come to a group of houses and in the middle of that group on the left is the pub.
Onto pub number three which is The Trout Inn, 195 Godstow Road, Oxford, OX2 8PN. The Trout Inn was only used once in the Morse series in the episode Second Time Around. It was used more often in the Lewis series.
Continue along the road you drove on to get to The White Hart.
You are now looking for Godstow Road.
Continue to follow Godstow Road
Following the Godstow Road you will cross two narrow bridges over the River Thames and then see this wonderful sight, The Trout Inn.
After the Trout Inn the next stop is The Victoria Arms, Old Marston, Mill Lane, Old Marston, OX3 0QA. This pub was used in the episodes, The Daughters of Cain, The Remorseful Day and Who Killed Harry Field.
When you leave The Trout Inn car park turn left and continue along Godstow Road until you encounter a roundabout. Take the fourth exit onto the M40.
Follow this road until you get to an exit marked for Marston and Elsfield.
Here is a video I made of my drive along Elsfield Road to the Victoria Arms.
There are of course many other pubs I haven’t included in these pub crawls for one reason or another but I hope the above will be of some help in enjoying your trip to Oxford.
So here are the PDFs (all two pages long) I mentioned at the beginning of the post. Firstly we have the pub locations alphabetised by pub name;
Next we have the same list but alphabetised by episode;
Next we have the same list but alphabetised by postcode;
Lastly, I have created a PDF of the walking pub crawl.
As I said above, you could put these PDFs on your smart phone or tablet rather than printing them off.