Here we are again at one of our regular annual sweeps, this large opening, soft red brick Inglenook at the Coach and Horses in Newport. Many people will be familiar with this large old pub just off the main road close to Bridge End. It is a traditional sweep much as it would have been done in the old days, with brush and rods, however these days the rods are made of carbon-fiber instead of cane and the brush is nylon and not bristles. For this large opening chimney I use a 24” diameter medium stiff inglenook brush to sweep it. The chimney being made of soft red brick with clay pargetting, I have to be careful not to damage the delicate inside of the chimney.

The pub itself is quite old and of interest, being a large timber framed building, which is a common building style in this part of Northwest Essex. This is due to the scarcity of good building stone, so the vernacular builders relied on the most available and cheapest building material available to them, timber. The Coach and Horses is a listed building, it is Grade II Listed Building: Listing No: 1276297, Date listed: 26 Nov 1951.

The pub is run by Jon and his wife (who does all the cooking) and has a great reputation locally. The regularly host a number of local clubs and walking groups and well as a strong regular local trade. They have an extensive and varied menu with vegetarian options. You can visit their website at https://www.coachandhorsesatnewport.co.uk/contact

It was a shame we were too early in the morning to have a pint!