Sadly
Mabel was terribly disappointed that Her Majesties Navy fleet did not organise
a guard of honour to celebrate our arrival in Dartmouth. She was however, relieved she
wouldn't have to consider running aground in the Dart.
Dartmouth is of strategic importance as a deep-water port for sailing
vessels. It has a rich assortment of historic buildings, but perhaps unusually,
four of the town’s oldest buildings are also pubs. Mabel greeted this
news with much excitement and seeing this, the Skipper decided all crew should
be rewarded with Exmoor Ale and a glass of Malbec in the Cherub Inn.
The
convivial establishment was first recorded in a document in 1380. For most
of its life it was a house, it spent some time as a shop and local knowledge
suggests a brothel at some point in its illustrious history. It has now
thankfully for the crew on Mischief been
converted into a pub. Only the Skipper was disappointed it had not
remained a brothel.