There are references to the King’s Arms from the late 18th century, when it was called the King’s Head. It’s not listed as a public house in the census of 1841, suggesting it may have been a relatively lowly alehouse at that time – although, like the George, it also hosted important village gatherings. For instance, it was the site of a controversial meeting in 1810 to plan a new turnpike road past its door – a road that would have benefited this pub and meant that its rival, the George, could have been badly cut off from traffic and customers.
By the early 20th century, the King’s Arms, the George and the Crown were the only pubs
in the village managed by licensed victuallers who were able to sell wines and spirits.
In the 1920s, landlord Thomas Adams was a former policeman who kept a truncheon under
the counter in case of trouble, according to local artist Charles Franklin White, who lived
further up Church Street. Adams would also offer favoured customers a free drink if they
could beat him at a game of dice. “When you walked into the King’s Arms...", said Franklin White."... out would come the dice to toss for a pint,”
By the early 20th century, the King’s Arms, the George and the Crown were the only pubs
in the village managed by licensed victuallers who were able to sell wines and spirits.
In the 1920s, landlord Thomas Adams was a former policeman who kept a truncheon under
the counter in case of trouble, according to local artist Charles Franklin White, who lived
further up Church Street. Adams would also offer favoured customers a free drink if they
could beat him at a game of dice. “When you walked into the King’s Arms...", said Franklin White."... out would come the dice to toss for a pint,”
Once upon a time, the King’s Arms was known by villagers as the “visitors’ pub”, but since the closure of the Royal Oak at the top of Church Street it’s become popular with locals too. The life-sized model of the “Jolly Ostler” in a box set into the wall outside, a curiosity for passing tourists, dates from the middle of the last century. (An ostler was a groom who looked after customer’s horses, although Shoreham was too off the beaten track for the King’s Arms to have been a “coaching inn” with daily carriages of travellers breaking their journey here.) The opening in the wall may previously have been used for off-licence sales.