THROUGH Isle of Wight heritage stalwarts, Brian Greening and Alan Stroud, we're looking back at some of the many pubs to grace the Island over the years ­— harking back to a time when we could leave our homes, willy-nilly, and enjoy an affordable pint down the local watering-hole.

With Easter lockdown here rather than an Easter lock-in, and a refreshing pint of amber nectar down the pub very much off the cards, perhaps some of these pictures might serve as a worthy alternative.

The first is a photograph of The Barley Mow, Shide ­— an establishment going back as early as 1850.

The pub benefitted from having Newport Golf Clubhouse right next door, though the club would later established itself on St George's Down.

The arrival of the railway, too, helped business in the 1880s.

One of the pub's best customer was John Milne ­— a world famous seismologist who had a house and laboratory at nearby St George's Lane, where he lived with his Japanese wife, who he met while studying earthquakes in Japan.

The next photo is one of The Blacksmith's Arms, situated on the outskirts of Newport.

The pub has stood the test of time, dating back as early as 1730.

Many myths and stories are attached to the building, including the murder of the landlord's daughter, Betty, who supposedly haunts a nearby lane to this day ­— a good tale to bring in the customers.

Moving on, we have The Five Bells Inn, Brighstone.

Years ago, many village pubs had tales of smuggling attached to them, and with the English Channel just two miles away, the Five Bells was regularly in the news.

Its name supposedly derives from the nearby church, which once had a peel of five bells ­— a time when the pub would certainly have been thatched.

Finally, we have The Bedford, in Carisbrooke Road.

Maurice and Ada Attrill were tenant landlords of The Bedford, and a collection of more than 400 letters between their daughter, Mabel, and her fiance, serving in World War One, can be found in the 2017 book, From Newport To The Somme, by Alan Stroud and Richard Brimson.

The pub was evidently a successful one ­— so much so, that when the Bedford was auctioned in 1911, there was what the County Press described as “spirited bidding for the property, in which the representatives of several important brewery firms took place.”

The winning bid came from W.B. Mew and Langton, then the biggest brewers on the Island, who paid £1,870.

It was a huge sum for those times ­— an indication of just how successful the pub was.

The Bedford remained in family hands until its closure in the late 1960s, the last landlady being Alice Attrill, Mabel's sister-in-law ­— her name can be seen just above the door in the photograph. The premises then became a printing and copying centre for many years before being demolished in 2006 to make way for residential housing.

Other pictures include The Alum Bay Hotel, Freshwater, The Old Manor House, Lake, The Sloop Inn, Wootton, and The White Hart Inn, Havenstreet.