Royal Oak (King Street)

The story goes that after the Battle of Worcester in 1651 King Charles II hid from noon ‘til dusk in a mighty oak tree in Boscobel Wood in the park of Boscobel House. A roundhead soldier passed underneath the tree, but the King was not discovered. After the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 it was decreed that the King’s birthday should henceforth be celebrated as Royal Oak day and across the country pubs were named in honour of the event. Although there are none left in the Three Towns now Devonport and Stonehouse each had one, Plymouth had two, one in Southside Street and one here, appropriately enough, on the corner of King Street and Cecil Street, next door to the Bull’s Head. There is of course still a Royal Oak in Hooe and another in nearby Meavy, with another 500 or so spread across the country, there is also a chain of Royal Oak pubs in Canada, celebrating their Britishness.

Licensees

1867 - Richard Glanville
1880 - Mrs C Glanville
1890 - Samuel Wall
1898 - George Cutler
1903 - Mrs Cutler
1911 - Void