Dacorum’s Rose & Crown and Green Dragon feature in new book of hidden gem historic pubs

Two Dacorum pubs are featured in a new edition of the East of England Real Heritage Pubs, released by CAMRA - the Campaign for Real Ale.

The book highlights hidden gems of British pub architecture and has 76 pub interiors of outstanding historic interest from across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

And among them are The Green Dragon pub in Flaunden and the Rose & Crown in Flamstead.

The Green Dragon on Flauden Hill was included as its snug is particularly old, while Trowley Bottom’s Rose & Crown is described as a gem of a small village pub that was refitted in a simple but elegant style in the late 1950s or early 1960.

Co-editor Paul Ainsworth said: “These pubs represent an important aspect of the area’s cultural and built heritage, with quite a number being true national treasures.”

He added: “That said, they account for less than 2 per cent or so of the pubs in the area. This is because pub interiors have always been subject to change, and the pace of change has accelerated dramatically since the 1960s.”

Michael Slaughter, co-editor, explained: “The East of England has the largest number of ancient snugs formed by settles. Within this guide, you will find Lord Nelson’s local; one of the claimants for the smallest pub in the county; and two of only eight pubs still operating without a bar counter.”

Michael continued: “Discover what to look for when visiting these genuinely old pubs – some dating back 500 years!”

The new book can be bought here.