Plans have been put in to cut fire risks, improve ventilation and tackle rotting beams at a nationally acclaimed historic Forest of Dean pub.

The Ostrich Inn, in the picturesque village of Newland, has served ale for 400 years and has a record of landlords dating back to 1841. If Forest of Dean District Council planners back the bid, the pub's external loos will also see an upgrade.

The latest request, from Lisa Burrage, who is acting as executor to former landlady Kathryn Horton, follows an original bid made earlier this year for minor structural and cosmetic improvements to the Grade II-listed building.

The Ostrich, just west of Coleford, prides itself as "one of the best preserved 17th century inns in the country". A hotspot on the Wye's tourism map, the pub archiving website Gloucestershire Pubs reports that its unusual name could be a corruption of the word 'hostelry' and notes its proximity to an infamous oak.

Praising its unspoilt interior, the report added: "There was once a large oak tree in a field just to the north of the Ostrich Inn called the Newland Oak which was reputed to have been one of the largest trees in Britain with a circumference from 41 to 52 feet. It collapsed in 1956.

"The venerable tree achieved its reputation because it was a great survivor. According to diarist Samuel Pepys there was a terrific gale in 1662 which blew down hundreds of trees in the Forest of Dean, but the Newland Oak survived into the mid-20th Century."

Vandals set fire to the oak's remains in 1970, but cuttings planted in 1954 now stand in the same spot. The Ostrich also stands opposite All Saints Church, which dates back to the 1200s and is known for its grandeur as the 'Cathedral of the Forest'.

A heritage report on the pub from Rock Davidson Associates highlighted key areas for remedial work.

The report said: "the cellar walls were a little damp and the main (probably 17th century floor bearing beams) on advice of a surveyor have been acro propped. If the dampness was solved these beams may dry out but a structural engineer accredited in building conservation and historic buildings may be able to give further advice on their structural integrity.

The scope of the requested work includes enclosing cellar ceiling joists and under-stair lining with fireproof plasterboard and boosting ventilation to the cellar through two vents, one to the cellar door and one to the beer drop door. Ventilation improvement is also requested for the pub's kitchens along with a new ceiling in the ground floor men's toilet.

A surveyor told planners: "The cellar houses potential sources of ignition and, given its position in the building, any fire that starts in the cellar can rapidly spread to the rest of the building unless suitable protection measures are in place. Suitable protection measures are therefore essential for the proper protection of life and for the proper protection of the historic fabric of the building. The cellar also contains the carbon dioxide supply to the pub and ventilation to the area needs to be maintained once the door is upgraded to FD30."

Newland's community reacted with sadness at the death of landlady Kathryn Horton in 2022. Prior to her management of the pub, Ms Horton had been a columnist for Penthouse magazine and earned fame for an advice column for men on how to how to spice up their sex lives through food - a writing skill which she is reported to have brought to the pub through an imaginative Valentine's Day menu.

A 1991 pamphlet on the pub by Jon Hurley reported: "In a delightful village setting, this is a dark but cosy little den with a log fire and devoted clientele who crowd into the single bar and devour bar snacks, natter and down plenty of ale. The pleasant host and hostess work hard to keep their customers content and have a laudable policy of "No fruit machines. No piped music. No chips and no lasagne!".