Boston's connection with Pocahontas, the Indian Queen, was marked on Saturday (October 12) when Mayor, Cllr Paul Kenny, toasted the association with a pint of exclusive Indian Queen Ale in the town's Indian Queen pub.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the marriage, conversion to Christianity and the acceptance into polite English society of Pocahontas, the Indian Queen, who was wined and dined by royalty. Pocahontas saved English explorer John Smith, from Willoughby, from death when she bravely put herself between Smith and her brother, who was about to execute him.

To celebrate this, and the refurbishment of Boston's oldest pub, the Indian Queen and Three Kings, Batemans brewed a special Indian Queen Ale with a special mix of English and American ingredients to mark the marriage of the native American Indian Pocahontas to Englishman John Rolfe - the very first mixed-race marriage in American history. The first barrel of the new real ale, made by pub owners Batemans, arrived with a posse of Indian squaws led by Pocahontas.

The pub has been refurbished in a traditional Victorian ale house style and Batemans' Paul Withrington dressed as a Victorian drayman to deliver the first pints of Indian Queen Ale. With him was Pocahontas the Indian Queen (Boston performing arts student Beth Warsop), and Pocahontan squaws Glyn Ruskin, Paula Naylor and Lucy Taylor, from Boston Playgoers. They braved rain to make a circuit of the town centre with the barrel of beer before seeking the real-fire warmth of the Indian Queen and Three Kings.

Cllr Kenny was ready with his coupon from the Boston Standard entitling him to a pint of the new beer for just 2p - Victorian prices. Cllr Kenny said it was good news to see the excellent restoration of a traditional English pub interior, setting a new standard of authentic traditional pub architecture. He commented that the Market Place, being at the very centre of the town centre, deserved to have such excellent upgrades and that provided by Batemans set the standard.