The Sloop is a 14th-century inn steeped in history.
Bantham has been a busy little port for centuries, full of stories of shipwrecks, pirate activity, and smuggling. The area’s heritage stretches even further back — with evidence of Bronze Age and Roman settlements around Bantham Ham, now a scheduled ancient monument.
Jenkins Quay, together with its ancient thatched boathouse, is among the most photographed features in the South Hams. Nearby, the Coronation Boathouse built in 1937 by Sebastian Comper for Lt Commander Charles E. Evans, stands as a Grade II listed building, marking the coronation of King George VI.
This photograph from around 1900 shows Jack Sherriff, Bantham’s baker, smiling outside his shop. Behind him you can glimpse The Sloop Inn. Locals used to say you could tell where a man came from by his trousers: Bantham folk had patches, while Thurlestone men did not. The explanation was simple — The Sloop offered benches, while the Village Inn in Thurlestone had none!
In the 19th century Bantham was home to farms, a bakery, a smithy, a shop, and a coastguard station. The Bantham Estate, then under the Evans family, worked to preserve the village’s character and lands, a tradition that continues today.
Ask at the bar for more local history — we’re always happy to share tales passed down through generations.