Dipping a toe in the Cotswolds and a trip to a closed pub of the year
There is now an ecliptic beery mix of old and new, with the likes of Hook Norton brewing since 1849, a very traditional brewery with its own malting and fleet of shire horses and Donnington Brewery outside Stow, brewing since 1865 working alongside more modern contemporaries such as North Cotswold brewery, who started in 1999 in Moreton on the March and Hawkstone at the tourist honeytrap that is Bourton on the water (gave up trying to find a car park space at 11on a very cold February morning – hate to think what its like in the summer) Hawkstone is currently in the spotlight as that provide ales and Ciders for Jeremy Clarkson and his Diddly Squat Farm which is just down the road.
Our base was Chipping Camden – a beautiful little town – somewhat a bit of an ugly sister when compared to nearby Bourton on the Water and Broadway – Chipping feels a little more down to earth with slightly less twee shops selling touristy trinkets and instead butchers, a library and two small supermarkets on its high street. Having stayed here a couple of times the past knew it is blessed with a number of fine hostelries which all handily offer accommodation – having stayed previously at the Noel Arms in the centre of town, this time we managed to secure a late deal with the Eight Bells – which probably would be my choice of the town anyway
The Golden Cross - Bromsgrove
We broke the journey down from Staffordshire on a Sunday morning with a drop into Bromsgrove which has quite a nice Wetherspoons with a handy car park just off the High Street. Slightly different for one of Mr Martin’s establishments the Golden Cross Hotel is a heritage pub having been part of the Bromsgrove beer scene for a number of centuries – the current building was rebuilt in 1932 but retains some of its earlier coaching house features including 12 booths – for a Sunday there was still a good range of beers available including a number of local breweries and I had a very palatable Indian Summer Pale Ale from Birmingham’s Indian Brewery to help wash the breakfast down. 
A quick post breakfast amble up and down the hire street also spied a couple of potential future visits especially the Old Post Office which looked very inviting.
Chipping Campden’s Parish includes Broad Campden and between the two settlements the Cotswold Charm website reports that you can find indications and signs of the 30 pubs, inns and alehouses that have serviced the community at some time during at least the last five centuries. You can see that 20 or more have been lost over time; many alehouses produced their own beer but were forced out of business when the larger breweries cornered the market from the mid-1700s.
There’s a very informative website which gazettes all the old pubs and links them to present buildings it would be a nice afternoon wandering around ticking them off.
https://www.cotswoldcharm.com/chipping-campden-pubs
Chipping Camden's ancient market
There are 6 decent pubs in the town (and a lovely village pub in Broad Camden a pleasant mile or so walk away) and a couple more bistros and restaurants so a very nice place for a couple of nights.
The Red Lion is currently closed, the landlord having moved away in January 2024, this is a Green King owned pub, though is reported to be free of tie – I would assume they area looking for a new manager to take on. 
The Volunteers from the Catholic Church
Most of the town's 250 listed buildings are in the High Street which is around 1 mile in length and handily on which most of the towns pubs sit. The only other town in the country with a higher ratio of listed buildings is Sandwich, Kent. So beginning a Camden crawl from the southern end of town the first hostelry is the Volunteer Inn.
Opposite The catholic church and school (Interestingly at the opposite end of the town to the Anglican St James which does dominate the town’s sky line – it is a pretty magnificent church – though the catholic St Catherines, is a suitable sister companion) This 300 year old stone-built inn , A pub since 1709; though its present name dates from the 1840s.
Since I was last here a new addition is an Indian restaurant. The pubs website reports that the oldest part of the premises is the front bar which once served as a room where local men would enlist hence the name. The beer offer normally contains a couple of local cask – looking at Untapped, they look to have Prescott Brewery HillCclimb as a regular alongside North Cotswold beers
Prescott a new one for me – a micro brewery based in Cheltenham, Hill Climb has been one of their staples for a while and an award winner back in 2012.
There’s a bit a gap now till the next pub – what classes as the major junction in town where the B4081 Sheep Street meets the High Street is cornered by the Red Lion Tavern – unfortunately on his visit was in the dark having recently closed – hopefully temporarily
The Red lion although a Green King premises is a free house,
The Red Lion - sadly closed in Feb 2024
town history says that it originated as The Redde Lyon on the upper side of Leasbourne and then moved to the current site on Sheep Street corner. A Grade II listed, Cotswold stone building with tick box open fire and handpumps its an impressive building – I remember it being slightly more down to earth than the Hotel bars further up the street.
Bang in the centre of town opposite the very photogenic Market Hall (ancient word ‘chipping’ refers to the market) is the equally photogenic Noel Arms and its very welcoming Dovers Arm17th-century coaching inn and one of the oldest hotels in the Cotswolds
Previously known as The George, The Noel Arms has traded continuously since the 18th century and you can still see the steps in the courtyard from its days as an important coaching inn, today’s car park housed the town’s historic bowling green until its sad demise in 1989 and towards George Lane was the site of the cattle market. This is another Chippy place with an Indian twist the head chef is Indian and holder of Best Pub Curry Chef Award, the Noel holds regular curry nights which looked to be very good value.
The Dovers Bar is to the right of the main entrance through a coffee shop and nice lounge – its feels quite pubby with a range of tables and when Ive been in, a nice mix of locals and hotel patrons – whilst a little on the pricey side but not quite normal hotel expect to pay around £5 a pint of the three cask ales on offer.
Why Dovers Bar – Robert Dover who was a Local lawyer who was a big believer in physical exercise and recreation – he established an Olympick Games – as something of a sports historian I have actually been ot the Games which were revived at the end of the last century – it’s a great Whit day out with Shin Kicking and a variety of sports followed by a torch lit parade back to the village- the games are held in a natural amphitheatre – Dovers Hill a short walk west of the village. The games likely began in 1612 and ran (through a period of discontinuations and revivals) until they were fully discontinued in 1852 due to increased rowdiness and drunkenness especially from the many hundred of Birmingham folk who took advantage of the new fangled train network However, they were revived in 1963 and still continue, though I note that alcohol is now banned from the event – it will be all them Brummies again!
Dover's Bar in the Noel Arms
You can find out more about the Games Cotswold Olimpick Games – The forerunner to the modern olympics and there is a very nice quote which gives a flavour of the games – I was in correspondence with Mr Burns for a while and I can thoroughly recommend a trip to the games -If this kind of thing wets your whistle there is another fantastic Olympic legacy around Much Wenlock in Shropshire which can also be called a for pre runner for the modern Olympic game -there’s also a good couple of pubs around so that may need to be another blog.
A word from a friend…
"...Events come and go; the novelty passes. But Robert Dover's Games continue to attract crowds to Dover's Hill on a late May or early June evening. One may ask why and offer emotional reasons - The setting has its romantic qualities. The sound of a band, particularly a pipe band, echoing across a hillside can be haunting. Bearing a torch aloft can evoke the past. Combine all three elements in the procession from the hillside as darkness falls and one can feel part of the agelessness of ways in which people have always enjoyed themselves."
— Dr Francis Burns - A life-long friend to and scholar of The Games.
So stepping into the Dovers Bar and again stepping into history following the footsteps of Charles II who rested here after his Scottish Army was defeated by Cromwell at the battle of Worcester. in 1651. The Bar was quite busy for a Sunday Lunch -Six nations rugby was about to start and large group of local husbands were into watch the game whilst their better have prepared the Sunday Lunch – a nice choice of three cask ales were offered – of course I had to sample all three there was a Rugby game to watch – though it was disappointing to see that the majority of drinkers in the bar were all on Madri that quality Spanish beer brewed in Wolverhampton – even the Chippy Husbands, who all looked to be in the their 60’s were knocking back the Madri with the odd Guiness – I cant really fathom that when there were here quality beers all from within 15 miles of the bar and around 50p cheaper!
I kicked off with a North Cotswold Brewery Cotswold Best a very fine copper bitter that was in fine form – saw quite a few North Cotswold clips around the pubs – they are a newish family run farm based brewery from just outside nearby Moreton on the Marsh.
All Cotswold brewer seem to like their mission statements – Norths is Fine all from the Fossee- (The Fossee being the ancient Fosse way – a Roman made road stretching from Exeter to Lincoln.)
I the moved on to a Cotswold classic an Old Hooky - First brewed to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee back in 1977 it’s now Hook Norton’s most popular brew – Im always surprised by the lowish ABV at 4.6% – Im perhaps indoctrinated with Old Toms and Rogers from further north – this was and is a good soldi session bitter.
Hook Norton’s current head, James Clarke followed his father into the still family run business, which had been set up by his great-great-grandfather John Harris in 1849. The Brewery will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2024 – some feat as it has remained a solidly local brewer and managed to keep away the mega brew co’s.
A new brewery for me was my third pint in the Noel, a Uley Hussar and was surprised to learn that this is a Cotswold brewery with some heritage. Brewing at Uley began in 1833 at Price's Brewery in Dursley, After a long gap, the premises was restored and Uley Brewery opened in 1985. The brewery has its own spring water, and produce a range of beers, mainly named after pigs, which feature on the brewery’s logo and marketing materials
Uley Brewery is a Grade 2 Listed Building, a traditional tower brewery built into the flanks of Uley Bury. It was built by Samuel Price in 1833. Uley - We are Genuine Cotswold Brewers
Hussar is their take on a English golden Ale at 4.2% ABV, its tasting notes A golden ale with a fresh fragrant fruity aroma, the initial sup is light and refreshing, followed by a lingering dry hoppy finish, it’s a collaboration brew with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
The next pub along the high street is another Hotel Bar - The Lygon Arms which states it is the oldest Coaching Inn in Chipping Campden with records dating back to the 16th Century.
The Hotels own history Outlines the story of the building;
Originally called the "White Hart" derived from Richard II's heraldic symbol. The name was changed to "The George" during the reign of James I (1603-1625). In 1772 there is a reference to the Inn then called "The Hare and Hounds" and was sold in 1821 by John Stanley. There is some confusion over the date that the name became "The Lygon Arms", However, in 1837 an old document refers to "The Hare and Hounds, now called the Lygon". 
Lygon quite a popular name in these parts there is a similar named Hotel/Bar in nearby Broadway, The Lygons were Gloucestershire aristocracy -the most famous being the Earls of Beauchcamp who were something f a British Political dynasty with 8th generations representing the area in Parliament
Entering what was probably the coaching arch under the prominent hotel sign , the bar is to the right – there s a very tempting glass case of cakes left out in the passage for some reason. A smallish bar which is a little more foody than drinky – but they normally have arrange of 2-3 cask beers on and usually Local breweries 
Our final venue and where we had beds for the night is the Eight Bells just slightly off the high street. The Eight Bells was originally built in the 14th century to house the stonemasons that built St James' church and was later used to store the peal of eight bells that were hung in the church tower. The Inn was rebuilt using most of the original stone and timbers during the 17th century. What exists today is an outstanding example of a traditional Cotswolds Inn with cobbled courtyard.
A choice of four cask and some proper ciders, whilst this is very food oriented pub the enclosed court yard with heaters is a very popular drinking space the food is very good and so was the accommodation – breakfast a particular highlight. The choice on my visit was Wye HPA, and Butty Bach, Old Hooky and North Cotswold best - a favourite of mine Butty Bach was my choice alongside a very good Sunday dinner.
The Bar in the Eight Bells
Chipping Camden is a cracking little town and as stated whilst on the tourist track it still manages to retain a down to earth vibe and doesn’t get quite as busy as the nearby honey traps if Broad Way and Bourton, and is blessed with several decent boozer.
My cunning plan on the way home was to side step the M6 Toll now charging an eye watering £8.90 for a one way trip and head home via the M42 and call in at Tamworth – a Staffordshire town that’s been hitting the headlines in recent time – home to the UK best pub as voted by CAMRA – having recently called in another finalist in Skipton the Beer Engine I was keen to see whether the Tamworth Tap deserved the accolade for the second year running – The Tap home to the Tamworth Brewing Company back onto the Towns Castle and ha sits own heritage in the majority of the building dating back to the 16th Century and boasting a Saxon wall in its beer garden.
And secondly to see if we could catch a glimpse of Spudman – Tamworth’s Jacket potatoes seller who is based in a square next to the town centre church and through Tik Tok has recently enjoyed global viral fame with hour long ques e and over 2 million likes a day and is now regularly selling up to 1200 spuds a day.
However on both counts my cunning plan was a failure – the Tap doesn’t open on a Monday and by the time we got to Spudman he had sold out and was packing up. 
A Closed Pub of The Year
Tamworth's Spudman - done for the da
However it was not an entirely wasted stop – spied a cracking little pub opposite the tap that will definitely be a future mission The Market Tavern Tamworth refurbishment by Joule's in late 2018.The Market Vaults is a 17th century building with 18th century frontage. Originally known as the White Hart, by 1803 it was named the Rose and Crown and by 1856 had become the Market Vaults with its vintage Banks window. 
A future day out?
I need of a drink and a quick dip into What’s Pub identified the Sir Robert Peel- a pub which had looked busy as we walked into town earlier, in search of the Tap and what a cracking find it was – a little confused by the Irish word son the windows, we entered a pub full of life for a Monday afternoon and a ecliptic range of beers – with Siren, Oakham and MBH all on offer 
Saved by the Sir Robert Peel 
A very nice Oakham Slovenian Wolf in the Peel
Their website screams - Welcome to the 'Peel! A real pub, for real people, who enjoy real beer! and it lived up to the mission
A bit of research over a very nice pint of Oakham Slovenian Wolf (an very nice it was and a new one for me) explained the Irish windows and Powers Whiskey, Caffreys signs and Guiness windows all over the inside walls – this was a former O Neils Oirish pub and in a previous life was Hamlets wine bar and renkowed local music venue which first opened in 1976, converted from what were 2 cottages, doing a bit of research about the pub later threw up some even more interesting stories back in 1978 the Tamworth Herald reported
Tonic for wine bar drinkers who ‘downed’ 79 gallons of beer in a week
TOWN PUBS LOSE BITTER ‘BATTLE OF REAL BOOZE’
ANGRY Licensees have lost a bitter battle to stop a Tamworth wine bar selling draught beer for real ale fans. 
Some publicans have found it hard to swallow plans by Hamlets Wine Bar to sell draught and keg beer.
They have claimed the toilets at Hamlets would not be able to cope with the extra “trade” when customers drank pints of beer as well as small glasses of wine.
And they say the town centre already has enough pubs selling draught beer, without Hamlets getting in on the act.
But after an inspection of the Bar, Tamworth Licensing Justices this week gave the go ahead for the real ale sale.
The granted Hamlets a new on-licence to include the sale of draught and keg beer and rejected the Licensed Victuallers Association plea to call time on the scheme.
Mr. Brian Barnsley, licensee and joint proprietor of Hamlets, said that at present the bar sells unusual beer by the bottle. “We were delighted to find customers’ demand for these beers has been dramatic,” he told magistrates in the last week of June, customers drank their way through 79 gallons of bottled beer. He said there were no plans at the moment to sell normal beers.
“We would be providing beers that are not normally available at the moment – Sam Smith’s real ale. It would be catering for a more specialist clientele,” he said.
Source http://www.tamworthbands.com/history/hamlets/index.htm
The current pub has featured in every issue of the Guide since 2005, the Peel was recognised in CAMRA's national 50th anniversary Golden Awards. It is named after the former prime minister and son of Tamworth, known for his role in the creation of the police force and the Tamworth pig. It did provide a fitting end to my mini beery get away and will feature in a future adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment