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The Sun was situated on Common Road.

Local newspaper review by John Cutting, 1966

The road across Nazeing Common is private property and there were, at one time, gates at either end. Although no official toll existed, an old lady who lived in an adjacent cottage used to encourage drivers to throw coppers in her direction. Early this year a census showed at 10,000 vehicles use the road each day, so it is just as well that the gates are now but a memory. There is a story told of how Bill Stracey, approaching the common in the early hours of the morning after a festive occasion, tried in vain to prop open one of the gates with the starting handle of his car and was finally forced to take the long road home—via Hoddesdon! Opposite the Sun is Nazeing Common cricket ground, and the club has been closely associated with the inn for a great many years. Nazeing lies on high ground and, having played cricket on the common during a snow storm, I can speak feelingly of the way in which the ground is exposed to the elements. Towards the end of the last century a hall was erected adjacent to the inn to accommodate the cricketers. It is reported that it took less than a week to build and yet what a wonderful job the old craftsmen did, for, in the course of extensive renovations two years ago, the building was incorporated into the inn and is now the saloon bar. An old photograph shows the hall as it was about 70 years ago. The driver of the trap was known as "Golden" Bug who, in his later days, apparently took an active dislike to his surname and had it changed to Sinclair. The lad to the left of the picture is John Hollow who, on the day I visited the Sun, was celebrating his 86th birthday. Born in Cornwall, John has lived at Nazeing most of his life. In his younger days he was a great cricketer and he is still an enthusiastic supporter of the club. Many years ago he married the daughter of the previous landlord at the Sun. Still looking wonderfully fit and well, John assured me that he did not feel a day over 21 and gave the following recipe for a long life: Eat good food but always rise from the table wanting a little more and only look after your own wife. Life was, indeed, far from dull in the old days when he thought nothing of scything a two-acre field and drinking a pint of beer at the inn before going home to breakfast. John recalled, with great amusement, the occasion when he drove a horse and milk-float across the frozen duck pond. Today he still takes an active interest in the management of his farms. During the war Nazeing was a strong point on the last line of defence before London and there were numerous earthworks and pill-boxes in the area and also a decoy airfield. Previously there had been an excellent golf course, but this was, unfortunately, a victim of the war and the ground is now under cultivation. Gone, too, is an alehouse known as the Lamb and Flag, which has been converted into a cottage. Recent alterations revealed a cellar under the floor of the front room which was found to be full of water. Jack and Valerie Andrews have been at the Sun for the past five years and, during that period, the trade of the inn has increased considerably. The inn was completely modernised a couple of years ago and now shows little sign that parts of the building are very old. To the cricketers the bright sun on the inn sign must have seemed a poor substitute for this season's miserable weather, but in the comfort of the inn they would probably agree that "the way to ensure summer in England is to have it framed and glazed in a comfortable room."

Brewers: Ind Coope (East Anglia) Ltd

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