Home > Essex > Hatfield Heath > The Stag The Stag
Date of photo: 1966	Picture source: John Cutting
The Stag was situated on Stortford Road. This pub is a grade-II listed building and closed in 2013.
Local newspaper review by John Cutting, 1966
The town of Hatfield, then known variously as Hatfield Regis, King’s Hatfield and Hatfield Broad Oak, was, in the closing years of the last century, the centre of an agricultural district producing wheat, barley, oats and turnips. In 1878 Aaron Hawkins of the Stag was listed in Kelly’s Post Office Directory of Essex as a coal merchant, ironmonger and agricultural implement agent. A huge store of coal outside the premises supplied the monster steam engines which pulled the ploughs. It would seem that the management of the inn was a spare-time occupation. Today the area around the Heath encloses a self-contained village community. After the first world war Charles Halls came from Norfolk with his young wife to take over the Stag and his family have been closely associated with the village ever since. At first they found conditions rather tough, but soon settled down and Charles stayed as landlord for 31 years before handing over to his son Eric. He, in turn, remained as tenant at the Stag until 1960 and, today, owns a coach and car hire firm. Before 1914 Charles Halls, having served his apprenticeship, had become a qualified motor engineer—a rare trade at that time. Later he was to act as chauffeur to the late Guy Gilbey of Sheering and to the Commandant of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. After service with the Royal Flying Corps he became tenant at the Stag and, in addition, set up the first petrol pump in the village. From the inn he sold cars as well as petrol and also started a taxi service and motor repair shop. Soon he was to inaugurate the famous Stag Bus Service which still operates around the local villages every market day, giving a personal service to customers, which large bus companies are unable and unwilling to provide. The Stag is known to date from the late 17th century. Its original name was the Bald Faced Stag, later changed to Bald Stag. There have been many alterations to the inn over the years and it is certain that there are a large number of old beams and probably a fireplace hidden under layers of Victorian plaster. In the public bar there is an interesting fireplace built by a local craftsman in 1919. On either side are reputed to have been sealed up at the time of construction bottles of whisky and gin. Exhibits in the bars include a number of miniature ships in bottles, an ancient nautical craft and the work of a sailor known to all as George. The Stag has a well-known darts team whose fame is commemorated by the handsome Courage Cup which the team won outright in 1964. The present tenant, John Rourke, has only been at the inn for a couple of months. Previously he had travelled extensively over the British Isles, during which time he always cherished an ambition that one day he would own a country pub. The Stag, he believes, is exactly what he had been seeking over the years and he has great plans to restore the inn to its original condition. Already he has started to uncover the beams in the saloon. Beneath the floor is undoubtedly an old well and this he hopes to restore and to make the centrepiece of the inn. The prospect of drinking around a “wishing well” should indeed be an interest-ing and original feature. Georgina Rourke—known to all her friends as Verna—shares her husband’s enthusiasm. She has had previous experience in the trade with the “30 Club” in Skegness and intends to make the Stag an attractive place to have snacks of all kinds including the ever-popular ploughman’s lunch. Both she and John have set their hearts on qualifying for the coveted Courage grill sign. The beer at the inn is wonderfully kept and is always in first-class condition, which one would expect from a supporter of the Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood. I have no doubt at all that John Rourke will be a great success at the Stag, where I know that all customers receive the welcome so well expressed by the 18th century poet who wrote:   Whoe’er has travell’d life’s dull round,   Where’er his stages may have been,   May sigh to think he still has found   The warmest welcome, at an inn.
Brewers: Courage (Eastern) Ltd
Do you have any anecdotes, historical information, updates or photos of this pub? Become a contributor by submitting them here. Want to make contact with other customers and publicans of this pub? Add your details here.
Other Photos
Picture source: David Perry