The Rising Sun is steeped in history. Though the heart of the building - an old coaching inn - probably dates from the seventeenth century, successive generations have stamped their mark on the structure over the years, contributing to a building that is both attractive and unique. Stone built, with wooden rafters and a log-burning stove, The Rising Sun fits perfectly into the historic landscape of the Somerset countryside. People have been drinking within The Rising Sun for centuries - and from the moment that they pass through the door, anyone with even the faintest sense of tradition will feel almost obliged to carry the torch forward.
Perhaps unsurprisingly for a building of such vintage, there is some suggestion that not all of the spirits in The Rising Sun reside in the array of bottles behind the bar. Though nothing malicious had ever occurred, ominous creaks and disembodied footsteps have often been heard within the pub, and a cloudy apparition has sometimes been spotted behind the bar. Other tales tell of a stern-faced, bearded man who wanders the corridors late at night; reports that this mournful apparition is, in fact, John have yet to be confirmed.
Another local legend suggests that the infamous Judge Jefferies held court within The Rising Sun during the Bloody Assizes, prior to hanging six men upon the top of nearby Gibbet Hill. Though the truth of this cannot be guaranteed, it adds yet another facet to the long and interesting history of the building.
The beer garden is bordered by Pensford's old church, and the Viaduct. It also contains the old mill - thought originally to have been a medieval fulling or tucking mill, operating later as a grist mill and a copper warehouse. The mill pond reaches to the edges of the garden - and the charming old three-arch bridge that passes above is said to date back to the medieval period. Few other beer gardens can hope to offer such attractive and interesting features.
Pensford is dominated by the Railway Viaduct which was built in 1873, with its 16 arches, built with brown and grey stone and brick. Though nothing remains of it today, Pensford was the only place in the Chew Valley, apart from Keynsham, which had a railway station. The last passenger train to Pensford ran until 1959, when Dr Beeching performed his historic cuts to the railway services. Both line and station were permanently closed after the floods of 1968, which weakened the structure of the viaduct.
Pensford's church boasts a fourteeth-century tower - but this was damaged by fire in 1712, and had to be rebuilt in 1862. Nevertheless, the place is fairly unique; indeed, it is said to have the only moated church and churchyard in England. After the floods of 1968 the foundations were though to be unsafe, so the church ceased to be used for services.
Pensford is an old place, with a rich history. Originally granted a charter for a market and a fair by Edward the Third in 1347, the village became a noted manufacturing centre at the height of the wool trade, and was reinvented as a mining town some time in the seventheenth century. The old spoil heap - now grassed over and rather picturesque - is visible from the garden of the Rising Sun. Coal has been worked in the region for many centuries, and was possibly even being mined here during Roman times.
There are many small historic gems scattered around the village, including the medieval bridge, the old lockup, John Locke's Cottage, and Bridge House. For more information about the village, please visit the history section of the Pensford website.