Three Cups, Harwich
{{short description|Former historic public house in Harwich, Essex, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
File:The Three Cups building, Harwich (geograph 5903473).jpg
The Three Cups was a historic public house and hotel which played a prominent role in Harwich until it was converted to a private house in 1995.{{cite web |title=The Three Cups |url=http://www.harwichpubtrail.co.uk/threecups.html |website=Harwich Pub Trail |access-date=5 July 2025}} The current building was built around 1500, but there are more speculative claims that a public house existed on the site before this. The building is located at 64 Church Street, next to St Nicholas' church.{{cite web |title=Three Cups, Harwich |url=https://www.closedpubs.co.uk/essex/harwich_threecups.html |website=The Lost Pubs Project |access-date=5 July 2025}}
Celebrations marked at the Three Cups
The Three Cups has frequently been the venue of the celebration of significant events over the years:
=Launch and relaunch of ships=
- Launch of HMS Sultan (1775), 23 December 1775.{{cite web |last1=Harwich |first1=The Three Cups |title=Welcome to The Three Cups One of Harwich's Most Famous Buildings |url=https://thethreecups.com/famous-functions |website=A Historic Harwich Resource |publisher=The Three Cups Harwich |accessdate=25 October 2019 |archive-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025171128/https://thethreecups.com/famous-functions |url-status=dead }}
- Relaunch of HMS Magicienne, 18 January 1793.
History
The origins of the Three Cups can be traced to the 16th century when Harwich was a growing port town and naval base.{{cite web |title=Three Cups Public House |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1204343 |website=Historic England |access-date=5 July 2025}} It is thought to have served as a coaching inn and lodging house for travellers arriving by sea or road. Its position near the harbour made it a convenient stopover for seafarers and merchants crossing the North Sea.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the inn gained a reputation as one of the finest coaching houses in the region. Harwich’s strategic naval role meant the Three Cups often hosted ship captains, naval officers, and merchants conducting business with the Royal Navy. Local records and accounts suggest that the inn was a lively centre for trade discussions and maritime news.
For generations, the Three Cups played an active part in Harwich’s social life, hosting community events, civic meetings, and private functions. Old advertisements promoted its spacious function rooms and lodging for passing travellers.{{cite web |title=Famous Functions – The Three Cups |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025171128/https://thethreecups.com/famous-functions |website=The Three Cups (archived) |access-date=5 July 2025}}
Architecture
The present building retains architectural features spanning several centuries. Its timber frame is partly concealed by later brickwork and plaster facades, but the medieval structure remains visible inside. Original timber beams, fireplaces, and sash windows reflect its historical development.
The Three Cups was originally built with a wide frontage facing Church Street and included a large yard and stables at the rear. Although parts of the outbuildings have been altered or lost, the main inn building has survived largely intact. Historic England describes it as an “important and rare survival of a major coaching inn”.
Notable events and visitors
Over the centuries, the Three Cups hosted various notable figures and local events. Folklore suggests that press gangs used the inn during the Napoleonic era to recruit sailors for the Royal Navy. Many local stories link the inn to seafaring legends and maritime ballads.
In more recent times, the inn became popular for banquets, weddings, and community celebrations, with its function rooms catering for a wide range of local events.
Closure and status
Despite its prominent history, the Three Cups closed its doors as a public house in the early 2000s after business declined. Its closure left an empty historic shell in Harwich’s old town and prompted concern among local residents and heritage groups.
The building’s Grade II* status offers legal protection, but preservation relies on securing a viable new use. Community groups have campaigned for its restoration, suggesting future uses such as a boutique hotel or a cultural venue that keeps the historic fabric intact.
Cultural significance
The Three Cups remains an enduring symbol of Harwich’s maritime and coaching heritage. Its centuries-long story reflects the town’s role as a naval base, trading port, and busy transport hub. Although it no longer serves ale to passing travellers, the building’s historical and architectural value continues to draw the attention of local historians and heritage groups.
Visitors following Harwich’s historic pub trail often include the Three Cups on their walk, seeing it as an important link to the town’s rich seafaring past.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{coords|51.9460|1.2883|display=title}}
Category:Former pubs in England
Category:Grade II listed pubs in Essex