Stonehouse Information

Stonehouse is a town with many stories to tell One of  the local Gentry John Maltravers, was found guilty of involvement in the brutal murder of Edward II in Berkeley Castle in 1327. and had to escape abroad
In 1779, the Stroudwater Canal was cut, and relics of the canal can still be seen. Ocean Bridge used was an iron swing bridge where canal boats would turn. Once there was a repair yard here.

Stonehouse was infuenced by the wool trade and was a part of the areas famous cloth producers.
Business increased further when in 1844 the Midland Railway Station opened , and a year later the Great Western Railway Station .

Today Stonehouse houses a large and varied industrial community, including computers,medical and even Movie production services.

Taken from the site Gloucestershire Pubs

  STONEHOUSEI

Brewers Arms, 27 Gloucester Road, GL10 2NZ

The Brewers Arms had an annual rateable value of  £13.10s.0d. in 1891 and £21.0s.0d. in 1903. 'Last orders' were at 11 p.m. John Pegler and his wife, Ellen Elizabeth, had six children and apart from being licensees the family were also running a hauling business, coal delivery and a small grocery store. "By gum. we had it tough in our day laddie!!" I have no records of a brewhouse on the site. The beers were originally supplied by the Dursley Brewery, then Godsell's, and then Stroud Brewery before being swallowed up by the West Country Breweries / Whitbread empire.  The twin bay windowed Brewers Arms is now owned by the Pubmaster group. Map reference SO 805058.

            1891 Frederick W. Wingfield. Beerhouse. Richard Chapman, Dursley Steam Brewery

            1903 John Peglar. Beerhouse. Thomas William Elvy, Dursley Steam Brewery

            1939 Isaac Muncaster

            1997 Steve Davies

Cross Hands Inn

The Cross Hands Inn had an annual rateable value of  £22.0s.0d in 1891 and £29.10s.0d. in 1903. (11 p.m. closing time). I have notes which state that the Cross Hands was adjoining the Midland Railway Station. The Midland Railway Station on the Gloucester - Bristol line was at map reference SO 798054. However, the station could have been a halt on the Midland Railway branch line to Stroud Wallbridge and Nailsworth. I have yet to determine the location of the Cross Hands.

            1885 Frederick Selwyn Hawkins

            1891 Christopher Stockwell. Alehouse. Smith & Sons, Brimscombe (owner Mrs Masling)

            1902 John Henry Cook

            1903 John Henry Cook. Alehouse. Smith & Sons, Brimscombe Brewery

            1906 Richard Roberts

Crown and Anchor, High Street

The Crown and Anchor had an annual rateable value of  £34.0s.0d. in 1891. The rates had increased to £59.10s.0d. in 1903. (11 p.m. closing). The Crown and Anchor was a creeper-clad building just to the east of the Globe Inn. It was converted to a medical centre in January 1998. Map reference SO 805056.

            1856 J. Rea

            1885 Ambrose Mabbett

            1891 Richard Townson. Alehouse. Stroud Brewery

            1903 Elizabeth Townson. Alehouse. Stroud Brewery

            1906 William Robert Hopkins

            1919 Frances Bessie Bryant (Mrs)

            1927 John W. Andrews

Globe Inn, High Street, GL10 2NG

The Globe dates from the 18th century. It is a stone built building set back from the High Street with the Gloucester - Swindon railway line on an embankment immediately behind the pub. The Globe was tied to Godsell's and had an annual rateable value of  £17.0s.0d. in 1891 and £19.10s.0d. in 1903 (11 p.m. closing). Until about ten years ago the Globe still had its West Country Ales pub sign - an illuminated globe. It was probably the last survivor of a West Country Ales sign. It has been replaced by a standard corporate  Whitbread sign - another case of official vandalism? Map reference SO 805056.

            1830 James Sparrow

            1856 J. Partridge

            1885 Thomas Redwood

            1891 Robert Russell. Alehouse. Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs, Stroud

            1902 William Uphill

            1903 Joseph D. Powell. Alehouse. Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs, Stroud

            1906 Albert Henry Ann

            1939 Rt. Frederick White

            1999 Dave and Helen Webb

Nags Head, Regent Street

The Nags Head had an annual rateable value of  £13.10s.0d. in 1891 and £20.0s.0d. in 1903. (11 p.m. closing time). The Nags Head was de-licensed in the 1930's. The building is now in private occupancy and called Wayfarers Cottage. It is on the right hand side heading  from the High Street. The postal codes for Regent Street are GL10 2AA, GL10 2AD. Map reference SO 805050.

            1891 Edward Stephens. Beerhouse. Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs (owner Mrs Ward)

            1903 Edward Stephens. Beerhouse. Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs (owner Charles Ward)

No name

The premises, in the parish of Stonehouse, may have been a shop. It had an annual rateable value of  £8.10s.0d. in 1891. No other details at present.

            1891 William Pearce. Beerhouse (off). Free from brewery tie (owner W.H. Webb, Dudbridge)

No name

The premises, in the parish of Stonehouse,  had a licence to sell cider off sales only. It had an annual rateable value of  £11.10s.0d. No other details at present.

            1891 Henry Vick. Cider license (off). Free from tie. (owner Dr. W.T. Edwards, Cardiff)

Royal Arms, Burdett Road, GL10 2JW.

The Royal Arms had an annual rateable value of  of £17.15s.0d. in 1891 and £28.0s.0d. in 1903. (11 p.m. closing time). On the corner of the High Street and Burdett Road the Royal Arms was mysteriously demolished in the summer of 1998. The Royal Arms was a classic locals pub with real character and I was amazed that it was allowed to die without one single voice of protest. There was an elaborate coat of arms above the window in the corner of the building, which had once been the front door and a West Country Ales ceramic plaque was still  in situ. Did these also succomb to the bulldozer? The Royal Arms may have been a failed Whitbread pub but it should have had the chance to live again as freehouse. The Whitbread P.A. served in the Royal Arms in the late 1970's / early 1980's was one of the best kept pints in Gloucestershire. Map reference SO 808052

            1885 James Hillman

            1891 James Hillman. Beerhouse. Stroud Brewery (owner  Sidney Biddell)

            1903 Eliza Harriett Gibbins. Beerhouse. Stroud Brewery

            1939 Lilian Aldridge (Mrs)

Royal Oak, High Street

I have scribbled pencilled notes that states that the Royal Oak was in the Square and was de-licensed in the 1930's. The Royal Oak, tied to Godsell & Sons, had an annual rateable value of £12.10s.0d. in 1891 and £18.0s.0d. in 1903. (11 p.m. closing). No other details at present.

            1891 Joshua Merrett (died 1912) Beerhouse. Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs, Stroud

            1903 Frederick White. Beerhouse. Godsell & Sons, Salmon Springs, Stroud

Ship Inn, The Wharf

The Citizen newspaper reported on Wednesday February 26th 1997: 'Pub's last orders... The landlady of a Stonehouse pub due to be demolished to make way for the town's bypass is inviting customers for one last knees-up. The Ship Inn closes its doors for the very last time tomorrow evening. Local band Strats will be playing the Ship's swansong with a 'last orders' performance tomorrow. Landlady Debbie Townsend said the pub is also open today as usual.' After closure the Ship Inn lay derelict for well over two years.  Work finally started on the road improvements on Monday June 7th 1999. By that time the Ship had become badly vandalised and the Stonehouse public had been deprived of a pub needlessly for 2 years. One hundred years previously the Ship Inn took most of its trade from the Stroudwater Navigation which then ran in front of the pub. The Ship Inn had an annual rateable value of  £17.0s.0d. in 1891 and £16.10s.0d. in 1903. 'Last orders' were called at 11 p.m. Map reference SO 805048.

            1891 George Grimes. Beerhouse. Stroud Brewery

            1903 Alexander Scott. Beerhouse. Stroud Brewery

            1927,1939 Albert William Love

            1997 Debbie Townsend

Spa Inn, Oldends Lane, GL10 3RJ.

The Spa Inn was owned by the Brimscombe Brewery and had an annual rateable value of  £13.10s.0d. in 1891 and £18.10s.0d. in 1903. Unlike the other pubs in Stonehouse it called 'time' at 10 p.m. This was because it was an isolated pub to the west of the town. Map reference SO 799060. For years it was a nondescript Whitbread pub. It was acquired by Wadworth of Devizes in 1991. The attractive stone built pub is now on the edge of a large industrial estate.

            1891 Edward Uzzell. Beerhouse. Smith & Sons, Brimscombe Brewery

            1903 Henry Clayfield. Beerhouse. Smith & Sons, Brimscombe Brewery

            1939 Frederick John Baker

Woolpack Inn, 4 High Street, GL10 2NA

Stonehouse was an excellent place for beer drinking in late Victorian times. At the Woolpack Nailsworth Brewery Ales could be sampled but a pub crawl around the town would have included drinking Godsell's, Stroud Ales, Brimscombe Ales and  Dursley Ales. When I embarked on a pub crawl of Stonehouse in 1980 all I could drink was the ubiquitous Whitbread P.A... and most of the pubs didn't even offer that!  The Woolpack did sell a decent pint. In 1891 the annual rateable value of  the Woolpack was £17.0s.0d. and it had increased to £25.10s.0d. in 1903. (11 p.m. closing). The attractive stone built pub is still trading and usually stocks beer from the excellent Uley Brewery. Map reference SO 806053.

A few interesting facts about Stonehouse

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