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The Blacksmiths Arms was situated on Woodside.

Local newspaper review by John Cutting, 1960s

In the early years of the Century droves of cyclists left London each week-end at sunrise for a day's outing and made their target the area around the Wake Arms. It was a brave man who ventured further and made his way through Epping to the northern extremity of the Forest at Thornwood. To-day in spite of the traffic which rushes in a continuous stream along the A11, Thornwood still manages to preserve the impression of an outpost in the wilds of rural Essex. This effect is heightened by the view from the Blacksmith's Arms from which vantage point it is possible to look South over the rolling countryside and not see a single building. Where else would this be possible within eighteen miles of London.

The earliest deed relating to the Blacksmith's Arms is dated 1725. This, however, refers to a smithy and it seems probable that ale was served from the adjoining blacksmith's house to the customers as they waited for their horses to be shod. A little over a century later the inn is first mentioned by name and there is no doubt that an enterprising smith had found that there was more profit to be made, with considerably less effort, from the sale of drinks.

The adjoining hall which was built in 1892 has recently been refurbished and modernised and now incorporates a new bar. Every Monday the Theydon Bois Jazz Appreciation Society meet in the hall where the Dave Shepherd Sextet regularly attend and where such famous personalities as Kenny Ball and Freddie Randell often drop in for an informal session.

To-day the inn is a striking building at the junction of the main road with Woodside. Behind there are stables and a large paddock and the first impression on entering the Saloon is the strong equine influence. Over the display shelves behind the counter there is a collection of rosettes giving a kaleidoscopic effect in the sunlight. These represent Foxhunter trophies and All England Jumping Course successes won by the daughters of Harry Burns, the landlord.

Harry, who has been at the Blacksmith's Arms for the past seven years, is a great enthusiast with a real love of horses. He knows many of the leading figures in the Show Jumping World and will talk for hours on all aspects of this very popular sport. Originally an hotelier, he finds that that side of the business is no longer his chief concern but the excellence of the catering arrangements at the functions held at the inn is a hall-mark of his skill.

During the war he served at the Air Station in North Weald under Group Captain Douglas Bader where he was the Physical Fitness Officer. Robicund and ever cheerful he looks, as undoubtedly he is, remarkably fit. He has developed a system, based on weight lifting for strenthening the legs of riders which is an essential requisite of all show jumpers. In 1962 the 'Horsemen's Year', an anthology on horses and horsemanship edited by Dorian Williams, contained an article by Harry Burns on 'The Fitness of the Rider'. In the same volume are photographs of his daughter demonstrating his weight-lifting exercises.

In addition to the rosettes there are, in the bars, many other exhibits associated with horses including two splendid carriage lamps, a selection of brasses, whips and post horns. The pews are the work of a village craftsman and these are shown up to perfection in conjunction with a wide range of copper and brass kettles and a fascinating Victorian coal scuttle.

Wherever there are horses there must be a number of cats and at the Blacksmith's Arms there are four. The senior member is Whisky, a large black and white animal with an insatiable appetite for crisps.

As Dr. Johnson once remarked 'he is a very fine cat, a very fine cat indeed'.

Brewers: Ind Coope (East Anglia) Ltd

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