Ship Inn, Shaftesbury

17th century building with original stone mullioned windows which up to 1930s was in use as a doctor’s surgery. Its layout of three small rooms off a lobby bar makes it look like it has always been a pub and it still retains most of the fittings added at that time. In 1937 the original Ship hotel was demolished and the Matthews family of Wyke converted this property into a pub. Apparently Dr Harris's daughter married one of the Matthews family.

You walk into the main bar with a red and cream diamond quarry tiled area and opposite the bar counter is a small snug area formed by a floor to ceiling short partition of fielded panelling with fixed seating attached to it and the dado panelling. The bar counter has a front of fielded panelling and still retains its shutters which it is believed still work but no one dares to lower them just in case they can't get them back up into position! There is a mirrored bar back which looks like it could date from the 1930s - look for the handpump shaped corner struts on the left side and beyond it the 17th century dado panelling on the staircase and a newel post. Alongside to the right is another bar back fitting which might have come from the old Ship - the bell box on the wall opposite the bar counter almost certainly did with its four windows including a Jug & Bottle one, also Private Room, Saloon, Tap Room. Note also the brass plaque from the days it was a surgery "A Wilkinson, MD, WJ Harris, MB".

To the left of the main door a doorway leads to the snug with one side of high backed fitted seating from the 1930s, another old bench on the left and a small cast-iron fireplace. On the rear left a latch door leads to the bare boarded 'Whine Bar' served from a hatch to the left of the servery. It has a fielded panelling dado all around with some fixed seating attached and good carved wood surround fireplace. The quarry tiled area near the bar continues into a passage leading to the right and a small bar with a panelled counter and tiny fixed seating. In 19XX it was extended back into former cottages so there is another area on a lower level.