Pubs Archives - Mountsorrel Heritage Group

The Swan [Nag’s Head]

Posted on December 15, 2023January 12, 2024 by Keith Foster

There was an earlier Swan Inn in Mountsorrel mentioned in a report by the Commissioners of Charitable Uses, dated the 27th day of September 1687. Rent from the premises was paid into a charity called the Town Rents.

The Swan today was originally called the Nag’s Head. The building is a late 17th century listed building, and there is was? a date, in Roman lettering, of May 2 1688 on the window at the back of the pub. In this photo from the 1970s there also appears to be some sort of inscription beneath the render and above the window .

The earliest record we have of the Nag’s Head is from the 1760s when it was owned by the mother of William Gibbons.

William married Sarah Cross on 1st May 1759. The burial of their first child William was recorded at the chapel of St John the Baptist (St Peter’s church now) on September 20th 1759. It is not known where he was buried as the chapel had no graveyard until sometime that year. Another son also called William was born in 1775.

In a 1767 settlement examination of William Gibbons he declared that he was born in the North End of Mountsorrel but in 1761 he lived in his own house, the Plough[now BOX KITCHEN], in the South End. After his mother died he inherited the Nags Head in the North End. He moved there and stayed for about 14 days before selling it for £200.

It was advertised in 1774 :

To be sold by auction on 7 March 1774 “The Nags Head”, Mountsorrel, including a good malt office and stabling for 20 horses etc

And again in 1825:

To be sold by auction at the house of Mr George Briggs known by the sign of the Nags Head in Mountsorrel on Friday 18 November at 4 o’ clock in the after noon. All that old established and well known public house now in full business called the Nag’s Head situate in the middle of the town of Mountsorrel with stables outbuildings etc.

Also a tenement adjoining and a right of common on Mountsorrel hills

George Briggs was the landlord in 1812. He ran the pub with his wife Lydia until he died in 1833, aged 49. They had three children, Sarah who died in 1822 age 1 year, Mary who died by accident in 1824 age 6 years and Samuel who died in 1825 age 9 months. Their headstone can be seen in the churchyard of St Peter’s church.

After the death of her husband Lydia took over the running of the pub until she died in 1847

The next landlord and landlady were Charles and Sarah Goddard. Charles doesn’t appear to have been the ideal landlord.

In August 1850 the magistrates refused to renew the license for the Nag’s Head, considering that Goddard, the present landlord, (who was convicted a few weeks ago of allowing drinking and fornication on his premises on the Sunday) was an unfit person to be entrusted with it.

In 1852 Charles Goddard was fined 20s for keeping his house open after 10p.m. In 1854 Goddard was involved in the death of a Mr Roper, a confectioner, who was with his stall at Mountsorrel Fair. Having business in Leicester he got a lift with a Mr Boyer and Goddard who were going to Leicester for some porter. Roper had a glass of ale in the Nag’s Head and quarter of a pint of gin in Leicester. On the way back he sat on a porter barrel at the back of the cart. At the top of Wanlip Hill he fell off the cart. Goddard went to pick him up but he said ”let me lie, I’m a dead man.” However they placed him on a porter barrel and carried on. At Mountsorrel a number of youths ran after the cart shouting, believing Roper to be intoxicated. The doctor on examination found bruises on his body and that his legs were powerless. He never rallied, but became gradually worse and died on Sunday morning. After his death rumours were prevalent that he was treated very roughly by Goddard and Boyer after the accident, but the jury returned a verdict of ‘Accidental Death’

In 1855 Charles and Sarah Goddard were both convicted of being drunk and disorderly. In the same year Charles was charged with keeping his beer house open in the afternoon. PC Bosworth found a man in the house tipsy just after 5 o’ clock and the servant girl standing by his side with a jug of ale under her apron.

After Charles died Sarah carried on as landlady of the Nag’s Head but later moved to Leicester where, in 1861, she was landlady of the Junction Inn

For the next 20 years the pub’s landlord was John Boulton who as well as being a victualler was a farmer of 40 acres employing 2 men and a boy.

He was fined five shillings in for selling spirits at half past eleven on Sunday morning. Sergeant Bosworth said that there were 30 men drunk at Mountsorrel; the bench retorted you ought to have brought them all here!

After he died in 1877 the next landlord that stayed for any length of time was George Wilcocks, In the early 1890s he moved and took over the Bull’s Head in Syston . When he died he was still owed the £300 he had loaned to his son in law Henry Barrs, landlord of the Bull and Mouth.

When this photograph of the annual holiday to Nottingham was taken in July 1899 William Thompson was the landlord.

Jonathan Brewin was landlord from the early 1900s until he died in 1921 when his son in law John Geary took over for a few years.

In 1935 the landlord John Hughs was summoned for being drunk in his own pub. His wife accused him of drinking a bottle and a half of whisky in the morning. He replied ‘Do what you like I am leaving in two months’

In the 1930s and 1940s there was an active darts team

Back Row: Mr Musson-Geo Lindsey-Ernie Chapman-Laura Fletcher-Hilda Parker-Mrs Riley-Florrie Astley- Loll Fisher-Beck Hawksworth-Kitty Walker Middle Row: Mr Porter-William Astley-Geo Hardy-Dick Watson-?-Nellie Mee-Percy Perters-Mrs Spiby- Mrs Gilbert Front Row: Harold [pub singer]-Gert Astley-Ernie [pianist]-Gertie Parker [landlady]-Mrs Hardy-Tom Hardy-Mrs White

In 1961 the licensee, Peter Morris, had extensive alterations carried out . He didn’t find the treasure supposedly hidden away by a former licensee, to stop his beautiful young wife getting her hands on his money, but he did find a large number of cases of stuffed fish !

There was some lively entertainment in the 1970s!!

After two brothers, David and Alan Winser who lived next door to the pub purchased it in 1990 the Nag’s Head was no more.

They changed its name to The Swan.

They were both real ale enthusiasts so thought what better than to open a pub next door and sell our favourite Theakston beers. The pub was refurnished but like the previous alterations carried out in 1961 they failed to find the gold that a previous occupant is said to have hidden in the walls to keep it from his wife. The pub menu offered a superior cuisine and every week a slimming ‘Hip and Thigh’ dish was created for the menu by fitness expert Rosemary Conley.

The photo shows Alan, on th left, and David discussing the menu with Roemary Conley

Mountsorrel Pubs Past and Present

Posted on January 8, 2022January 8, 2022 by Keith Foster

There are only three pubs left in Mountsorrel. They are The Swan, once called The Nag’s Head, The Waterside, once the Duke of York and a new micro pub The Sorrel Fox.

The only pub whose location is known but not shown on the map is The Lindens which was once situated in Halstead Road. The total number of confirmed pubs is thirty two. A pub called the Paul Pry has been reported to have existed in Watling Street, but we have not been able to confirm this.

The White Swan

Posted on October 31, 2021December 15, 2023 by Keith Foster

The White Swan was a coaching inn once situated opposite the Buttermarket. John Brown was the landlord from the early 1800’s. Prior to that he was landlord of The Harrow on the other side of the road. In Pigot’s 1828 trade directory it is recorded that the White Swan was also the post office and that John Brown was the landlord and postmaster.Letters arrived from London and the south at seven in the evening and from Manchester and the north at quarter to eight in the morning. They were dispatched immediately. Coaches to all parts of the country passed through Mountsorrel almost every hour.

John Brown’s brother Benjamin, who had fought at Waterloo, joined him for a while after he came out of the army in 1821, before he became a village constable. John Brown moved to the King William IV on Leicester Road around 1835 and his brother Thomas took over at the White Swan.

Thomas died at the White Swan in 1838 and the next landlord was Edward Hickling, followed by Joseph Atherley. By 1849 George Bampton had taken over the White Swan and his son, also George Bampton, was still there in 1901. As well as being landlords father and son, between them, were at various times also farmers, insurance agents, grocers, rate collectors, agents for Burton Ales and excise officers.

They were followed by Samual Moore in 1908, John Hipwell in 1912, Thomas Johnson 1915 to 1925 and Arthur Cook in 1928.

In this painting, attributed to John Fernely or his daughter Sarah, we can see the White Swan and what looks like the landlord, in his white apron, standing outside his pub. The landlord in 1842 was Mr Hickling.

Market Place 1842

Let no one be charmed by the name of Mountsorrel, for close on a mile along the road runs an abject townlet of the out of elbows down at heel variety with row upon row of mean cottages. Still stands the Black Swan, although it does little but stand being forlorn and forgotten. The White Swan a contemporary with its black brother is more fortunate and appears still to thrive. This is modern Mountsorrel but you can still see vestiges of the Mountsorrel from a hundred to three hundred years ago when the town depended for its existence on the road. Mountsorrel is precisely as described above, but still it is a charming subject for a sketch.

Standing on the cobblestoned footwalk by the side of the White Swan you look across to the granite crag, to a group of old houses and the singular temple like market cross.

So wrote Charles Harper in his book, The Manchester and Glasgow Road published in 1907

During the 1930’s, 40’s and early 1950’s the White Swan had a darts team. In 1938 its rivals in Mountsorrel were the following eleven other teams: Stag & Pheasant, Railway Inn, King William, Duke of York, Anchor Inn, Nag’s Head, bull & Mouth, Constitutional Club, Working Men’s Club, Dog & Gun and the Prince of Wales

In February 1950 the license of the White Swan was transferred to The Lindens in Halstead Road. The Parish Council and the local residents objected but in March 1950 the Loughborough magistrates granted an application for a public-house, and the White Swan closed down.

” I used to live in the old White Swan when it was no longer a pub.We moved around 1956 when I was eight. we had a lot of out buildings and I think eight acres of land that used to flood, my father use to keep 150 pigs and horses. People used to hold there noses walking by our house. Sometimes the pigs escaped on to the main road and ran away I’d jump on a horse bare back and go round ’em up, must have looked hilarious; the butcher across the road the bike shop owner next door, the local barber and the local bobby all chasing squealing pigs.” John Roberts

Around 1963 the building was bought by a firm which, according to a Mr Lawrence Vendybuck, a director of that firm living at 175 Leicester Road, had spent money on renovations and intended to turn it into a country club. This never happened and the building fell into disrepair

Councillor Harold Newman declared the White Swan was a menace to public safety and that three cattle trucks were packed in the yard making the appearance very unsightly.

In 1963 a villager complained at a Mountsorrel parish meeting about the condition of the Old White Swan public house and was told that the property is on the of ancient buildings list and cannot be demolished until the final list is released be the Ministry.

After it was demolished the site lay empty and derelict for many years until 1987, when houses were built on the site

A door hinge from the White Swan

The Griffin Inn

Posted on May 7, 2020June 1, 2020 by Keith Foster

The Market Place Off License at no 7 and 7a Market Place was once a pub called The Griffin. The Gill family ran this pub for over 100 years. John Gill was born in 1712 in the North End of Mountsorrel. His wife Elisabeth was the licensee of the Griffin Inn

In the Record Office for Leicestershire Leicester and Rutland are two inn licenses issued to Elisabeth Gill one dated 1776 the other dated 1783

The license was to keep a common ale house for one year only and to sell bread and other victuals, beer, ale and other exciteable liquors except Brandy, Rum, Arrach, Usbequaugh, Geneva, Aqua Vitae and other distilled liquors. No unlawful games, drunkeness, or other disorder to be suffered in the house, out house,yard, garden or backside.

(Arrack is an eastern Mediterranean liquor flavoured with aniseed. Usbequaugh is Whisky, Geneva or Jenever is a Dutch spirit similar to Gin)

John Gill was a barber. He was also a surgeon, which we can deduce from the household papers of the Gill family held in the Record Office for Leicestershire Leicester and Rutland.

Eligha Hampson Dr to John Gill for cureing his leg
Feb ye 1765	£-d
Feb ye 3 Bleeding	6d
Ditto ye 9 Bleeding	6d
3 ounces of tincture	1s- 6d
2 ounces of ointment	1s-0d
24 times dressing and atendance	3s-6d
	7s-0d
March ye 16 1765 recev’d in part payment 2 shillings

John Gill also had a recipe for cough medicine

for a Cough of the Loungs

2 oz of Sweet Oyl

? oz of Honey

2 oz of Rhubarb

2oz of fresh Butter

Half a pint ow Water

boyl them till digested

John Gill died in 1776 and was buried in the churchyard of the North End chapel (now St Peter’s Church) on February 26. His headstone is still there. In his will dated November 25 1772 he left his house with yard or backside in Mountsorrel in which he lived in to his wife Elisabeth during her lifetime. Elisabeth lived for another twelve years and died in 1788. She was buried on May 10 in the church yard with her husband where her headstone remains still. When she died she was still the victualler at the Griffin.

After Elisabeth died the pub was taken over by Ann Gill who remained there until 1819 when Mary Gill took over and was there until the early 1840’s. She was succeeded by John Gill who remained there until 1875. The following year another Gill, Elisabeth took over until Joseph Billson became landlord in 1881 until 1899. The pub was sold in 1895 for £1120. Mary Billson took over for a brief period and later landlords were Harry Rudkin and Samuel Stenson.

The Belgrave Cyclists at the Griffin in 1896. The landlord is Bob Bilson, in short sleeves, and next to him, on the right, is J Garner, who later became captain of Leicester Rugby Football Club

Another image of cyclists from our archive, but where?

A fancy dress parade taken outside the Griffin in the summer of 1914. This was an annual event raising funds for the LRI. The cyclists were Annie Houghton, Harry Ward and Dorothy Jacques.

In March1920 an application to renew the license was opposed on the grounds of redundancy and structural defects. The doors could not stand up in some of the rooms. The owners, Sharpe & Son of Sileby, and the landlord Samuel Stenson argued that the house was no worse that any other and that trade was improving. It was referred for compensation. The pub closed on 31 December 1921.

It later became an off license and chemist run by I N Newton

By 1972 the off license was being run by Mr Redhead. The shop changed hands several times. It was a gun shop, a golf shop, Blankley & Poole the upholsterer and a grocery shop run by Roger Boon.

In the 80’s it was sold to Mr and Mrs Patel who are still there and run it as an off license and general store.

Cricket Players Arms

Posted on February 20, 2019February 20, 2019 by Keith Foster

George Woolley, in 1841, was the Beerseller at the The Cricket Players Arms. He lived there with his wife, Martha and four children Frances, John, Sarah and William.

By 1851 the children had left home and George was working as a Brickmaker. His wife Martha was the Beerhouse Keeper.

In 1861 George was Brickmaker and Innkeeper, Martha the publican’s wife and an Irish quarry worker, Martin King, was boarding with them.

In 1871 the Beerhouse Keeper at the pub was George’s daughter Sarah Palmer. She lived there with her four children Sarah, Anne,Thomas and Rose.

After 1871 the pub became a private house.

The Cricket Players Arms was at the right end of this building, next door to a grocery shop; in 1871 the grocer was Thomas Herrick. By 1901 Joseph Crosby was the grocer.

It is now a Chinese takeaway

The Elders was a beer house during the mid-1800s just a few yards south of The Anchor (now a residential care home) on Loughborough Road, opposite the Stonehurst Family Farm and Motor Museum. Continue reading “The Elders – a beer house on Loughborough Road, Mountsorrel”