Pub's secret historical smuggling link explored

In the 1950s, a hidden cellar, tunnel, and a young girl's body were found under a pub, sparking questions about local smuggling routes.

Along with the discoveries under The White Horse in Shere in Surrey, a bottle of brandy dating back to the 1720s was also found.

The village has a long tradition of local folklore involving secret tunnels, escape routes, and illicit trade, but many of those stories have never been verified.

Ken Bare, from the Surrey Hills Society, said: "Shere in particular probably would have been a kind of warehousing and distribution point."

Surrey is not typically associated with smuggling in the same way as coastal counties such as Kent or Sussex. However, historical records showed inland routes were crucial for moving contraband away from the coast and towards London.

The county's dense forests, steep hills, and scattered settlements made it an effective corridor for avoiding customs officers.

Local historians had long noted references to "vaults" and "lower rooms" beneath the building in older documents, although their exact purpose was unclear.

The rediscovered cellar under the pub was found to have soot marks, ventilation gaps, and remnants of shelving inside.

The pub said the most prominent theory about the girl was that she was running away or hiding from smugglers.

Bare said a lot of smugglers would have been agricultural labourers from local villages.

"Without this second income from smuggling, many of those would probably have starved, so it was quite an important part of their lifestyle," he explained.

"And of course that meant that the population turned a blind eye, or actually helped with the smuggling. There are stories of lords of the manor being told to turn a blind eye."

Bare said most of the contraband stored by smugglers in the pub would have been alcohol – specifically brandy - as well as tobacco and tea.

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