NEHL - One of the last watering holes still running at Byers Green is the Royal Oak. The first owner quite clearly stuck a bar in his living room and kitchen, got a licence and it's been here ever since. The pub facade is lovely though and typical of its generation alongside the boot scraper embedded next to the front door.

This one popped up as the village was transitioning from a traditional agricultural settlement to a mining one. It first commenced in the 1870s alongside two others up the way - the Marquis of Granby and the Victoria. The first references appear in 1873, when the pub was used as a venue for mining accidents. 2 30 odd year olds were among 6 killed by falling from the cradle while sinking a new pit in that February. As was always the case there was no blame on the owners, just the other people and the deceased who were careless... Nevertheless, a brutal death - sinking shafts was one of the most dangerous jobs in the whole industry. A few deaths on the railway were also investigated here in that same decade.

The landlord hosted much of the leisure in the village. The grounds at the rear hosted pigeon racing, rabbit coursing and greyhound racing through the 1880s and 90s. Not just that though, he also held backyard brawls and boxing bouts advertised in Newspapers as far asway as Newcastle.

I can't imagine this pub, built into two separate dwellings, has ever been rebuilt. I'd love to have a mooch inside as well and see how much is original. Overall though, it still flies the flag of this little village's mining and sporting heritage.