The Henry House was built in 1834, a fine, solid home of rubble stone and ironstone designed to reflect the importance of its owner, William Alexander Henry. At the time of its construction, it was one of a number of homes erected by successful Halifax businessmen at this end of what was then a country lane, Pleasant Street. Henry was the newly appointed Attorney General of Nova Scotia and would become a "Father of Confederation" and a member of the Supreme Court of Canada. He passed away in 1888, but his fine home lives on.
And it lives on in very fine fashion. Henry House is one of Halifax’s more memorable pubs. In the dining room, the visitor is greeted by cream walls over dark-green wainscoting. There is also considerable exposed stone, a fireplace and massive moldings. Downstairs in the pub is a beamed ceiling, exposed stone walls, a couple of dart-boards and a wonderful fireplace. The windows upstairs have interior shutters which speak of the massiveness of the stone walls. The entire effect is warm and welcoming, and usually busy.
The menu is available in both rooms--there are starters, soups, salads, sandwiches and "Old Country Fare" – Scotch pies, shepherd’s pie, and fish and chips, among others, at about $8. The house favorites include things such as pepper steak, lamb chops, salmon and haddock at about $13. There are also the usual burgers, tacos, and quesadillas, and I have to say that the food is good; the serving sizes are just fine, and almost everyone who drops in seems to take something from the menu. But for me, it’s all about the beer. The Granite Brewery, which was once on-site but has moved down the street, puts out several English-style offerings: the Best Bitter, Peculiar, Irish Stout, and a couple of blonde ales: Ringwood and India Pale Ale. They are the best beers available in Halifax (and Halifax often seems awash in beer). An 18-ounce offering comes in at $5.80, and I’m always shocked by how many times I drop in for a pint or two and a bite to eat when I’m in town for the weekend. "Got an hour to kill... let’s go to Henry House." There are lots of other things available at the bar, but why?
I could go on about the friendly service and the convivial atmosphere, but apparently, everything may not be what it appears. There seems to be a ghost. Now it’s been checked out by the paranormal experts, and the verdict is still out, but there have been sightings or an awareness of the ghost of a child in the house. Research has found that a child died of whooping cough in the building at one time, but of course, none of us believe that stuff. Do we? I think you’ll really have to check it out.