A TRADITIONAL village pub has been bought by the Cumbrian firm Jennings Brewery.

The Pack Horse Inn in Tanfield Village, near Stanley, dates back to the 1600s and is reputed to have been visited by Oliver Cromwell.

According to local folklore one of his Roundhead soldiers was killed in the pub's car park and is buried in the village churchyard.

The Pack Horse will be leased and operated under the new divisional name of InnVentures.

Peter Kennedy, tenant of the Pack Horse for the last 12 months, will become the lessee. Peter is well known in the area and comes from nearby Tanfield Lea.

From a base of 16 outlets in 1887, the company's estate has grown to over 110 pubs in the North. Jennings Brewery was established as a family concern in 1828 and moved to its current location, in Cockermouth, in 1874. Its ales include Sneck Lifter, Crag Rat, Old Smoothy and Cumberland Ale.

Brian Naylor, business development manager for Jennings Brewery, said: "We are delighted to add the Pack Horse Inn to our estate.

"Jennings has an on-going acquisition programme across the whole of the North of England.

"We are very much looking forward to working with Peter, promoting the pub and giving him any support he needs to achieve his business goals and to further develop sales.

"We are now actively looking for suitable lessees for other pubs which we are acquiring.''