Black Horse, Beamish

A very nice lunch today with Mr & Mrs D at The Black Horse, Beamish.  It was built in 1690.  Originally it was one of 10 cottages erected on the estate of the infamous Bobby Shafto, MP for County Durham.  

Leases were given to build the cottages on the condition that one able-bodied man from each cottage was available to work in the quarry or down the coal mine.  

From the 1851 census it is know that 28 people lived in the Black Horse including domestic servants, scholars and colliery workers and their children.

People also gathered here for drinking and gambling session due to its remote country location.  Eventually, the pub became a licensed drinking spot around 1850.

In recent years it has undergone a huge renovation and has been extended, cottages built for visitors to stay in and a huge semi permanent marquee erected for weddings and large events.