The Shepherd & Dog Public House

The Shepherd & Dog is a traditional English public house in the village of Fulking, in the Mid Sussex district of West Sussex, England. It occupies a building that began life as two, or possibly three, cottages, and its use as a pub probably dates from the early 1800s; it appears as 'Shepherd & Dog' in the 1841 census. The name is generally linked to the annual sheep washing that once took place in the stream immediately outside the pub, an event described by Nathaniel Paine Blaker in his memoir of a Fulking childhood in the mid-nineteenth century. According to that account, the pub played a practical role in the day, since it was where shepherds went to recover after hours in the bitterly cold water. The building also has a smuggling connection. Sussex was notorious for smuggling in the early nineteenth century, and the pub was reportedly used to store contraband: goods were carried up outside steps and lowered through a concealed opening into a large cavity below. The hiding place's location is not currently known, though there is anecdotal evidence that it may have been absorbed into later structural changes; a local newspaper reporter is thought to have been shown it in 1927. In the 1841 census, William and Frances Welling were living at the Shepherd and Dog with their two children and a twelve-year-old female servant; William is listed as a bricklayer, so Frances may have run the pub. By 1851 it had passed to James and Susannah Strivens (also spelled Strevens), who lived there with their four children and a fourteen-year-old female servant. Members of the Strivens family had lived in the parish since at least the eighteenth century. Today the Shepherd & Dog presents itself as a farm-to-fork country pub. Its kitchen uses produce from local suppliers around Sussex, including meat from Knepp Castle, fruit and vegetables from Chefs Farm (which supports local independent smallholdings), and ales from independent Sussex breweries. The pub is open Monday and Tuesday 12–6pm, Wednesday to Saturday 12pm–10pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 12pm–8pm, with kitchen last orders two hours before closing. It runs a regular programme of events, such as steak nights, a Monday-to-Thursday set menu, a school-dinners themed menu, and seasonal events including a Halloween magic show and face painting. Booking is described as essential.

The Shepherd & Dog occupies a building in Fulking, West Sussex, that originated as two, or possibly three, cottages. Its use as a public house probably dates from the early 1800s, and it is listed as 'Shepherd & Dog' in the 1841 census. The pub's name is generally associated with the annual sheep washing that took place in the stream immediately outside the building, an event described by Nathaniel Paine Blaker in his memoir of a childhood in Fulking in the middle of the nineteenth century. As Blaker records, the pub played a key role in the event because it was where the shepherds went to recover after spending hours in the bitterly cold water. Sussex was renowned for smuggling in the early nineteenth century, and the pub was used to store contraband. According to the pub's own account, goods were first taken up the outside steps and then lowered through a concealed opening into a large cavity below. The location of this hiding place is not currently known, although there is anecdotal evidence that it may have been incorporated in structural changes made to the pub over time. A reporter from a local newspaper is thought to have been shown it in 1927, so there may still be a large chamber waiting to be found. In 1841, William and Frances Welling were living at the Shepherd and Dog with their two children and a twelve-year-old female servant. The census lists William as a bricklayer, so it is possible that Frances ran the pub. By 1851, the pub had passed into the hands of James and Susannah Strivens (also spelled Strevens), who were living there with their four children and a fourteen-year-old female servant. Members of the Strivens family had been living in the parish since the eighteenth century, and possibly earlier. In the present day, the Shepherd & Dog operates as a country dining pub. Its kitchen follows a farm-to-fork approach, using high-quality produce from local suppliers around Sussex. Meat comes from Knepp Castle, fruit and vegetables from Chefs Farm, which supports local independent smallholdings, and ales from local independent breweries around Sussex. The pub's opening hours are Monday and Tuesday 12–6pm, Wednesday to Saturday 12pm–10pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 12pm–8pm, with kitchen last orders two hours before pub closure times. It hosts a range of events, including steak nights, a Monday-to-Thursday set menu, a school-dinners themed menu, and a Halloween magic show with face painting. Booking is described as essential.

• The building, originally two or possibly three cottages, is believed to have begun use as a public house in the early 1800s.

• Listed as 'Shepherd & Dog' in the 1841 census, when William and Frances Welling were living there.

• By 1851 the pub had passed to James and Susannah Strivens (Strevens).

• A local newspaper reporter is thought to have been shown the concealed smuggling cavity in 1927.

A historic village pub positioned as a farm-to-fork dining destination, sourcing from local Sussex suppliers and independent breweries.

• Steak night

• Monday-to-Thursday set menu (2 courses £20, 3 courses £25)

• School dinners themed menu

• Local Sussex ales from independent breweries

• Meat from Knepp Castle

• Fruit and vegetables from Chefs Farm

1. 1The Shepherd & Dog, Fulking | Discover & Dine Nowshepherdanddogpub.co.uk
2. 2Story | Discover Historic Charm - Book Your Visit — The Shepherd & Dog, Fulkingshepherdanddogpub.co.uk
3. 3The Shepherd And Dog Public House - Wikidatawikidata.org