Pubs and Bars / A-Z Bristol pub crawl
A-Z Bristol Pub Crawl: The Queen’s Head, Bishopsworth
The Queen’s Head is a quintessentially traditional pub, a time capsule of British pastimes and hobbies.
The flag of St George is visible from a distance, windswept yet proudly fluttering in the breeze outside this pub in Bishopsworth.
The beer garden, which overlooks King George’s Street, is spacious, though few punters are willing to brave the cool air outside on a recent evening.
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A patron enters through the front entrance on Queen’s Road. Several workmen, still in their overalls, exchange stories, perhaps in colourful language. The conversation drops briefly before a nod of acknowledgement.
The snug in The Queen’s Head is a shrine to British pastimes such as fishing
The snug on the left could be described as a shrine to British pastimes, particularly fishing. A Union Jack is draped on a wooden panel as a makeshift emblem.
The walls are adorned with illustrations of various fish alongside life-sized models of prized catches from years past. Each is labelled with the angler’s name and the year, some dating back nearly seven decades.
A stag’s antler takes a distinguished place on a wall.
Amid the fishing ephemera, there is a jukebox and a slot machine to entertain the punters
On the windowsill sits a woodcarving of a Komodo dragon, so skilfully crafted it invites a second glance to confirm it is not taxidermy.
The woodcarving theme continues throughout the snug, with a tree-trunk-turned table and chairs with tall, worn backs.
These pieces would not look out of place in colonial-era outposts of the Far East, but they are here – tucked away among a cornucopia of delights in south Bristol.
The Queen’s Head is a quintessentially traditional pub
The Queen’s Head, 22 Queen’s Road, Bishopsworth, Bristol, BS13 8LG
All photos: Milan Perera
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