Our story
Five centuries at the heart of Datchworth
A village pub with Tudor bones, open fires and one or two stories that have outlasted generations. Step through the door and you are sitting inside history that is still very much alive.
Since around 1543
Built when Henry the Eighth was king
Experts think The Horns may have been built in 1543, when Henry the Eighth was on the throne and much of Hertfordshire was still quiet lanes, woodland and farmland. Travel was slow and roads were rough, and a welcoming inn beside a village green was worth its weight in gold to anyone making a long journey.
The building was extended in the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, but its Tudor bones are still plain to see. Original oak beams, open fireplaces and ancient fittings have survived the centuries, and they give every room a character no builder could fake. This is not a room designed to look old. It is a place that has simply lived through the centuries and kept its place at the heart of village life.
Through the centuries
The years, written in oak and stone
Few buildings in Datchworth have watched over as much village life as The Horns. Here is how the story unfolds.
Around 1543
The timber framed building we still sit in today is thought to have been raised beside Bulls Green, its beams cut from oak that has never left the village.
The centuries after
The Horns settles into the rhythm of country life, a place to drink, trade the news of the day and rest on the long journey through Hertfordshire.
The eighteenth century
The building is extended and grows with the village. These are also the years of the highwayman Walter Clibbons, whose legend has never quite left the building.
Today
Original beams, fireplaces and fittings survive alongside a modern kitchen, a freehouse cellar and a welcome that has outlasted everything else.
The local legend
A highwayman in the shadows
Every old pub needs a good ghost, and The Horns has a proper one. Local legend tells of Walter Clibbons, a highwayman who ambushed travellers on the roads around Datchworth until villagers caught up with him in the eighteenth century. Some believe he never truly left, and that he still walks the old rooms he once knew so well.
Whether you believe the story is entirely up to you. But on a dark evening, with the fire crackling and five hundred years of beams above your head, it is a tale best heard exactly where it happened, with a pint in hand.
More than a building
The heart of village life
For almost five hundred years The Horns has been where Datchworth gathers. Celebrations, team wins, first pints and long farewells have all happened within these beams, and the village green outside has framed most of them.
That life continues every week. In the warmer months the beer garden fills with families, dog walkers and anyone who fancies a slow afternoon watching village life amble past. In the colder months everyone moves inside to the fires, exactly as their grandparents did.
However long it has been since your last visit, the formula has not changed. Good company, honest food and drink, and a building that makes every occasion feel like it matters. You can see it all for yourself in our gallery.
In pictures
Every corner has a story
The fireside snug, the horns above the bar, the front door that has welcomed travellers since Tudor times. Wander through, then come and see the real thing.
Kept alive today
Old bones, young heart
History matters here, but The Horns is not a museum. It is a proper working village pub, noisy on a Friday night and cosy on a wet Tuesday, and the oldest beams in Hertfordshire look down on some very modern enjoyment.
As a freehouse we pour what we choose, from three real ales to a proper wine list. The kitchen turns out honest pub food, from our famous Butcher's Burgers to a Sunday roast that changes every week.
A place at the table
Come for the story.
Stay for lunch.
Fish and chips, a Sunday roast with all the trimmings, or one of our own Butcher's Burgers. Enjoy a meal beneath the old beams, with a pint from the bar or a glass of wine alongside.
Your chapter
Become part of the story
Five centuries of guests have written their evenings into these walls. The fire is lit, the pumps are ready and the next chapter could be yours. Find us at Bulls Green, Datchworth, and for a table inside give us a ring.
History questions
The story of The Horns
How old is The Horns in Datchworth?
Experts think The Horns may date from around 1543, when Henry the Eighth was king. The building was extended in the eighteenth and twentieth centuries, but original Tudor oak beams, open fireplaces and ancient fittings remain in place.
What is the ghost story at The Horns?
Local legend says the ghost of Walter Clibbons, a highwayman killed by villagers in the eighteenth century, still haunts the pub. It is a story best heard by the fire with a pint in hand.
Is The Horns a listed historic building?
The Horns is a genuinely historic village pub with Tudor origins, rather than a modern building made to look old. Original beams, fireplaces and fittings have survived the centuries and can still be seen today.
Why is the pub called The Horns?
The name is part of the pub's long village history, and the horns motif appears throughout the building. Ask the team behind the bar and they will happily share what is known.
Can I visit just to see the historic building?
Absolutely. You are welcome to come in for a drink or a meal and enjoy the Tudor beams, fireplaces and historic rooms. The gallery on our website shows what to expect, and the team are always happy to point out the oldest features.
Is The Horns a good stop for walkers and visitors to Hertfordshire?
Yes. The Horns sits beside the green at Bulls Green, Datchworth, a short drive from Knebworth, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage, and a favourite rest point for walkers and cyclists exploring the country lanes. Well behaved dogs are welcome after the walk.
Come and make yourself at home
Find us at Bulls Green, Datchworth. For a table inside, give us a ring.