Although his pub is neither a listed building nor on CAMRA’s National Inventory, it is in the Russell Street/Castle Hill Conservation Area and the description is as follows: “The popular Nag’s Head public house is a well-restored, faux-Tudor building and listed as an Asset of Community Value. It attracts many customers from outside the area by virtue of its multiple CAMRA awards as one of Berkshire’s leading ale and cider pubs.”

The pub is included on the tour for its interesting range of cask ales and ciders.

The book mentioned above says “This was formerly a Morland’s pub with a very strong Irish influence and interior décor that rather overplayed the horse’s head theme. Externally it is an example of the Brewer’s Tudor style which was a frequent feature of the Morland’s estate.” In 1903 the premises comprised “bar, bar parlour, smoking room and bottle and jug department. There was also ‘stabling for 16 horses used by the licensee for his business of job master.’” “When in 1995 Lisa Stewart became landlady at the age of 18 she was reported to be the country’s youngest licensee. After disposal by Greene King, the Nag’s reopened as a free house in February 2007 with a strong commitment to cask ales from small breweries.”

CAMRA website link: CAMRA/Nags Head

The Nags Head featured on the Biscuits and Beer: Daytime Pub Tour of Reading on 16 May 2026.