Re: Summer issue | Page 38

Harveys by dray Winston and Monty’s mothers were full sisters but they share the same dad making them cousins as well as half brothers. Their proud owner, Adie Matthews, of The Maple Leaf Carriage Company, at Hellingly, said the young horses still have a lot of growing to do although they are already over 18 hands. At the moment the horses weigh about one tonne each but they will fully mature when they are seven-years-old and they are already attracting a lot of attention around the town. Adie said: “I named Winston after a friend of mine who was a very well-respected local heavy horse man who sadly passed away the year Winston was born. Winston was born first and Monty came along two weeks later. My son named him.” It’s not just the horses who get the attention when they are out delivering the beer. Barney the Patterdale terrier-cross who sits on the back of the dray gets plenty of pats and even a sausage from the staff at The Snowdrop each time he visits. He is always around the horses, loves being outside and is totally at peace among the kegs. Lewes comes to a standstill when people spot the horses and they attract a lot of attention, I don’t think I’ve ever had so many cameras, iPads and mobile phones pointed in my direction and felt quite bashful initially but when you’re parading round a town on a dray with horses and a dog, you’re going to get noticed. There are many reasons to love Lewes and, Harveys, the local brewery, arranging delivery of their kegs of beer by pure-bred shire horses and dray cart is another classic example. Originally, the idea was thought up by the brewery to mark the auspicious visit of The Queen and Prince Philip but it proved so popular that it has been an ongoing weekly treat – and not just in Lewes but in other areas including Brighton, Eastbourne and at various events including The Heathfield Show. One of Harveys Managing Directors, Hamish Elder, explained the concept behind the idea: “In October last year, we were honoured to have to Her Majesty, The Queen, and HRH, The Duke of Edinburgh, visit the brewery . We chose 38 this occasion to launch our new dray cart, working alongside Maple Leaf Carriages who provide and drive the heavy horses. We purchased our dray cart back in September and had a month to prepare it with Harveys livery in time for the Royal visit to our brewery.” The cart was taken around Lewes in front of a large crowd awaiting the Queen’s arrival. The shires were beautifully groomed and dressed in Royal colours. The dray carried Harveys casks decorated with ‘God Save The Queen’ and ‘Elizabethan Ale’ on them. Hamish added: “The popularity of the cart soon became apparent and we decided to embark on a contract with Maple Leaf Carriages to have our dray tour around Lewes every Friday for ten weeks, from November 22. Routes normally start from the brewery and include the White Hart, Rights of Man, Brewers Arms, John Harvey Tavern, Gardener’s Arms, Snowdrop Inn and The Dorset.” The popular shires, named Monty and Winston also starred in the launch of Lewes Late Night Shopping on December 5, alongside wine expert Olly Smith. The dray then went on to deliver Christmas wreaths to the local pubs and Town Hall. There was definitely a very relaxed atmosphere when I arrived at the brewery depot in Daveys Lane and I’m introduced to the two magnificent horses that are just having a graze from a hay bag before their unenviable task of pulling three adults and a number of kegs of beer up and down the hilly town. I was lucky enough to catch up with my favourite pair a few weeks later in Brighton. For April, it was a very warm day, the Easter holidays and therefore heaving. I watched them proudly trotting up Madeira Drive, pulling up just before the Brighton Wheel. There was a lot more going on (chaos) than in Lewes but the horses still seemed to be enjoying their tasks. They had been in the city to mark the launch of the Brighton and Hove Food Festival at Hotel du Vin. Their usual route around Brighton takes in The Waggon and Horses, Ye Olde King and Queen, Fitzherberts, The Dorset, The Lord Nelson, The Prince Albert, Jamie Oliver’s Italian, The Three Jolly Butchers, The Heart and Hand, The Ranelagh and The Crown. Hopefully you will have the pleasure of witnessing this wonderful spectacle, for it truly is wonderful. By Liza Laws To see where the horses are, visit: harveys.org.uk/the-brewery/spot-the-dray 39