THE VILLAGE
Mentioned in the 1086 Doomsday Book, Grantchester is less then 2 miles upstream from Cambridge, and is one of the most famous villages in England. Known by generations for its river setting and beautiful meadows, inspiring writers, musicians and artists as varied as Chaucer, Rupert Brooke and Pink Floyd.
Lord Byron and Virginia Wolf bathed naked in the river, the Bloomsbury Set and Bertrand Russell picnicked on the meadow.
The walk out along the Grantchester Grind (as the pathway across the meadow from Cambridge is known that inspired the Tom Sharpe novel of the same name) is a popular thoroughfare for walkers and cyclists through out the year, and of course many take an even slower route by punt along the River Cam.
On Boxing Day thousands descend on the village for the annual Barrel Race, a hotly contested relay race through the village with teams from the local pubs rolling empty beer barrels. The Blue Ball has a proud record in both the Mens and the Ladies competition.
During its 250 years to date the pub has had just 24 landlords, one less then the number of vicars the village church has had during the same time - a testament perhaps to the strength of belief in the quality of our beer?
Often it is said that the village has the highest concentration of Nobel Prize winners in the world and today the village continues to gain popularity and fame. The ITV series Grantchester is set and filmed in the village, and the cast are regular visitors to the 'set', especially when enjoying the end of shoot party in The Blue Ball.
Its also the closest pub to Cambridge Rugby Club, as well as proud to be HQ of Grantchester Cricket Club. Born from the pub team, the cricket club plays on possibly the prettiest ground in the country.
Just behind the famous Grantchester Tea Rooms and opposite the church, the field is set on the edge of the River Cam, and is an idyllic spot for watching or playing cricket, always followed by much needed refreshments back in the pub!
The Blue Ball Inn list of landlords since it opened:
1767-1781 James Butler
1781-1792 Robert Disborough
1792-1799 Elizabeth Disborough
1800-1802 John Disborough
1802-1827 John Mathews
1827-1858 William Loughton
1858-1865 James Launder
1865-1883 William Dilley
1863-1896 Wilfred Bard
1896-1900 George Boot
1900-1922 James Wilson
1922-1929 John Wilson
1929-1933 George King
1933-1940 Walter Rank
1940-1949 George Clark
1949-1961 William Glasscock
1961-1967 Jack Smith
1967-1976 Earnest Morgan
1976-1980 Neil Grundy
1980-1983 Alain Hambleton
1983-1986 George Easton
1986-1997 Peter Jackson
1997-2015 John Roos
2015- Toby Joseph
Grantchester Cricket Club
Cambridge Rugby Club
OPENING HOURS: Wednesday-Friday 12PM-10PM / FRI-SAT 12PM-10.30PM / SUN 12PM-8PM
© THE BLUE BALL INN 2016 - 57 Broadway, Grantchester, CB3 9NQ, Cambridge - T: 01223 846004 - info@blueballgrantchester.co.uk
Terms & Conditions | Site by VAVA Concept