Standish (Wigan). This pub has been serving beer since 1271 and features in the Doomsday Book. The present building dates back to the early 1600s. It is named after the Boar's Head railway station which connected Wigan and Preston, opened in 1838 and closed in 1949. During the 15th century it was the overnight inn for prisoners being transported from Chester to Lancaster prison for hanging. It survived the Battle of Wigan Lane, which was fought during the Third English Civil War on August 25 1861.

The interior has several rooms surrounding the small central bar with lots of great old dark wood beams. Outside there is a small beer garden in the back and a larger one in the front. It is located next to the Boars Head Bowling Grounds, the club being founded in 1925. I enjoyed a Bank's Amber Bitter (maybe this style is not as rare as I thought!) brewed at the Park Brewery (Marston's) in Wolverhampton.