Castle Garth, chapel (Three Bulls Heads PH)

Bourne records that there was a Chapel of the Garrison (or "Chapel House") in Castle Garth. By 1736 this was the site of the Three Bulls Heads Inn. When the Black Gate was occupied by John Pickles (he occupied the Black Gate until 1661), vintner, he also ran a tavern there which may have been the precursor of the later Two Bulls Heads. Between 1787 and 1789 two public houses are associated with the Black Gate, the Blue-bell and an unnamed establishment run by John Fife, bear-brewer. In 1790 the latter passed to another John Fife, staymaker, and was known as the Three Bull's Heads, Blackgate. It disappears from the directories five years later, only to re-emerge the following century as the Two Bull's Heads. By the mid 18th century much of the basement of the Keep was in use as beer cellars for the inn. Longstaffe speculated that the name had origins in the family crest of the Bolbecs, who held a house in the castle during the middle ages. The Three Bulls Heads served as a focal point for the community around it. Tradesmen in the Garth were "initiated" at a general meeting of their fellow traders at the inn. A beer cellar was dug for the tavern in 1752. In 1855 the Three Bulls Heads went to auction. It contained cellars, a bar, news room, tap rooms, parlour and quoits area with 12 half-barrel brewery attached. The pub closed in 1892. Nolan suggested that a cellar built for this innin 1752 was located during archaeological excavations in railway arch 27, occupying the space between the sites of two Anglo Saxon chapels or churches. The Chapel-house was believed to have been the chapel for the Castle garrison.