Goldhanger Chequers Inn still a favourite with Stephen Nunn

We do, however, look forward to Monday lunchtimes – a small “us” oasis in an otherwise hectic week.

One of our regular watering holes on such occasions is the Goldhanger Chequers.

We find it such a welcoming place – a perfect mid-day escape.

Experienced landlord Dom and his efficient, hard-working team, keep an exceptionally good house with excellent beer, wine and food, and all served within the centuries-old ambiance of this historic inn.

I have known the place since the 1970s, when Jack Hulbert ran it.

I would often cadge a lift from Maldon to taste Jack’s beer and enjoy his jazz nights.

On one memorable occasion I was struggling to get home, so Jack allowed me to sleep on the tap room floor - such was the fun of youth.

A bit later, when I started in the world of work, I introduced my boss to the pub. He loved it so much it became his 'regular', even though he lived in Rayleigh.

That was during Trevor Jones' tenure, however, the Chequers pre-dates his and Jack’s time by many centuries – both the physical building and as a place to sup a good pint.

Today, it is understandably Grade II Listed and the official record dates it as “16/17th Century or earlier”.

In reality, the earliest parts are likely to be more like late 15th Century, but in those days it would have been the private residence of an important member of the village community.

The Chequers at Goldhanger today (Image: Stephen Nunn)

It is unclear when it first became an inn, but the name might give us a bit of a clue.

Whilst Chequers (plural) does not appear as a pub name until the first half of the 19th Century, the earliest reference to Chequer (singular) is c.1400.

Some have suggested it is heraldic in origin (perhaps linked to the Fitzwarrens, who licensed alehouses during the reign of Edward IV).

Others think it is derived from “exchequer” – a place where local goods were sold and taxes levied.

I am pretty sure the Goldhanger example has nothing to do with the flint chequer pattern on the tower of the parish church.

However, early (unlicensed) drinking houses used the chequer motif as a sign to encourage customers to sample their homebrew.

Is that how the Goldhanger example started one wonders?

In any case, it had become official by 1769, the only authorised alehouse in the village.

It was registered to an Edward Smith and there were rumours of him having links with smugglers.

By 1820 the pub was being run by John Cooper and he was still there in 1848 - although it has been suggested that there might have been brief interregnums under Matthew Gentry in 1832/33 and George Cowell in 1839/40.

The Bitten family appear in the census of 1851 – James (the publican), his wife Caroline, a young servant (Mary Rolf) and a lodger (William Chaplin).

Ten years later, William Good had taken over and was in residence with his wife, Esther, their five sons, a daughter, a servant and two lodgers.

Forward another decade, and in 1871 it was the turn of William Russell. However, he wasn’t there for long because by 1874 it was William Munsen and then, from 1878, Willie Harvey.

Heybridge-born Willie (licensed victualler) appears in the 1881 census with wife Eliza, daughter Nellie, a servant and four agricultural labourer lodgers.

James McDonald was in charge from around 1898 and took the Chequers into the 20th Century. He was succeeded by Sidney Haskins (in 1901).

There then followed Frank Norton (1904), Harry Hills (1914) and Henry Hinds (1917).

It was during landlord Hinds time that my favourite Chequers story occurred.

The famous Great War air ace and VC holder Mick Mannock had landed with his squadron at Goldhanger Aerodrome.

The Chequers Inn sign (Image: Stephen Nunn)

He called in to the Chequers for a drink. The beer flowed, bawdy ballads were sung and a scrap between hot-headed Mick and a disgruntled local dignitary was narrowly avoided.

Major Mannock and his men took off the next day and headed for the Western Front, where he was later shot down and killed.

Henry Hinds was succeeded by Robert Westbrook (1918), Charles Mann (1925) and then, from 1926, the legend that was smacksman and barge skipper Jack Spitty.

I knew about him because of his time at the Green Man, Bradwell, but he ran the Chequers right through to 1953.

He was followed by other names – Embley (1953), Howard (1961) and Wardlord (1966).

Jack Hulbert, of my day, took over in 1974, Trevor Jones in 1984 and then the recent successful business partnership of Phil Glover and Dom Davies started in 2002.

It was a shock to us all when Phil passed away, but Dom continues to fly the flag of excellence at the pub.

His is the latest chapter in the story of a pub, which you could say, has had a fascinating, 'Chequered' history.