Southampton. The 12th century house on this site (the foundations and cellars of which still remain) was owned from 1220 by Benedict Ace, one of the earliest mayors of Southampton from 1237-1245. The building was badly damaged by the French and Genoese during their raid in 1338. In the 1490s the building was acquired by a brewer named Rowland Johnson who turned it into a brewery (reputedly the first in Southampton) and it was named "Bere House" in 1494. It was popular for sailors and other travelers, and in 1620 the pilgrims would have passed the pub on their way to the Mayflower. In 1771 it was renamed the Shipwright's Arms in honour of the many Shipwrights who worked in the area and in 1815. After the Battle of Waterloo, it was renamed the Duke of Wellington in honour of the British general who defeated Napolean. The building lost its top floor during Luftwaffe bombing in 1940 and was rebuilt in 1961-1963. The interior has a small central bar surrounded by a few rooms and has a dining room in the back. There is also outdoor seating on two sides of the building. There are lots of dark wood posts and beams in the ceiling. After tasting three beers from Wadworth Brewing (established in 1875 in Wiltshire) I chose their 6X Original Ale, a refreshingly balanced bitter.