Public Houses in Croft
Joiners Arms, around 1930.
Photo courtesy of John Taylor
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Joiners Arms
This was situated on the land now occupied by 2 Abbey Close, at the junction with Lord Street. Thomas Norbury was the landlord in 1836, when it was also the meeting place for the local Female Friendly Society. Although the public house closed in 1939, the building was occupied until 1960 when the last occupant died. It was then demolished. It had a bowling green and a full publican’s licence. |
Horseshoe Inn 1930.
Photo courtesy of John Taylor
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General Elliot 1930. Photo courtesy of John Taylor
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Plough Inn. Year unknown
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Horseshoe
General Elliot Hotel
Plough Inn
Hermit Inn
The Horseshoe, General Elliot and the Plough are still up and running today. The Horseshoe and the General Elliot both had bowling greens which are now car parks.
The Hermit Inn was in Hermitage Green, which was considered part of Croft until the 20th Century boundary changes. It has now been demolished.
The Hermit Inn in around 1930. Photo courtesy of John Taylor
Croft Brewery
Croft Brewery was established in Heath Lane and in the nineteenth century it provided beer to local public houses and to others, outside the Parish boundary.
The family responsible for the brewery for nearly 150 years was the Owen family. Reginald Owen is shown as purchaser of the property that was eventually to become the General Elliot, in 1785.
The decline of the brewery started in the early years of the twentieth century when the large breweries bought the local pubs, making them into tied houses. This meant they could no longer sell beer from Owen's brewery because they were required to sell beer from the large breweries to which they were now connected.
The Brewery ceased operation in the 1920's and the brewery chimney was knocked down in 1936. The building is still a private residence called ‘Brewery Farm’.
Information on Croft Brewery from 'CROFT The history of a village' by Alan Sharpe
The family responsible for the brewery for nearly 150 years was the Owen family. Reginald Owen is shown as purchaser of the property that was eventually to become the General Elliot, in 1785.
The decline of the brewery started in the early years of the twentieth century when the large breweries bought the local pubs, making them into tied houses. This meant they could no longer sell beer from Owen's brewery because they were required to sell beer from the large breweries to which they were now connected.
The Brewery ceased operation in the 1920's and the brewery chimney was knocked down in 1936. The building is still a private residence called ‘Brewery Farm’.
Information on Croft Brewery from 'CROFT The history of a village' by Alan Sharpe
Public Houses in Risley
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The Noggin Inn
The original Noggin Inn still stands but will soon be demolished if permission is given. The New Noggin
The New Noggin closed in around 1910 and the building was finally demolished in 1971 when the M62 was built. |
The Noggin Inn
The New Noggin on the left and The Noggin Inn on the right
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Public Houses in
Culcheth & Glazebury
This list has been compiled from census returns, postal directories, maps and newspapers. There may be some mistakes, which I will be happy to correct. There may be some duplicates here, which have different names, but could be the same building. Without any further detail, I am unable to be more accurate. There is also a list of over 40 beerhouses without a name given, which may match up to existing listings in time. I would welcome any input from the public.
The Raven Inn. Date Unknown.
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The Raven & Sword/The Raven Inn
The Raven is still standing and soon to be open again. It previously had a bowling green. The 1855 Postal Directory has it listed as The Raven and Sword. |
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The Pack Horse Inn
The Pack Horse is still open today. It is the oldest pub in Culcheth. John Lowton was the Innkeeper in 1762. Before it became a pub, it was two cottages known as 'Platts Cottages'. |
The Pack Horse
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The Harrow Inn. Date Unknown.
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Harrow Inn
The Harrow is now The Culcheth Arms. The landlord in 1824 was David Allen. |
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Chat Moss Tavern/Chat Moss Hotel
The Chat Moss Tavern had this name until 1881, when the census return shows it as the 'Chat Moss Hotel'. Joseph Blackburn was the landlord in 1841. It is now 'The Glazebury'. |
Chat Moss Hotel. Date around 1911.
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Bricklayers' Arms in 1930.
Photo courtesy of John Taylor
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Bricklayers’ Arms
The Cherry Tree was built in 1964 on the site that the Bricklayers' Arms once stood. The Merrick family ran this pub for many years. James Merrick was also a bricklayer, hence the name. |
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George & Dragon Inn/The Dragon Inn
The George and Dragon used to have a bowling green. The landlord in 1853 was Joseph Valentine. In 1871 it was John Valentine in charge and the name was just 'The Dragon Inn'. |
George & Dragon in 1930. Photo courtesy of john Taylor
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Bull and Butcher Inn
The Bull and Butcher Inn was opposite The New Inn at 479 Warrington Road. The address is listed as 'Platt Lane' in the 1885 Postal Directory, when John Wright was in charge. |
Comfortable Gill Inn
Bury Lane/Warrington Road. There are no listings in the 19th Century under this name, though there are many beerhouses without a name on Bury Lane, which could be the same place. |
Paviors' Arms
This pub was on the 1881 and 1891 census for Warrington Road, Glazebury. The landlord was Abraham Winstanley on both returns. |
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Platt Inn
This is shown on the 1881 census on Platt Lane, Culcheth (later Warrington Road) with George Walworth as the landlord. |
Grapes Inn
This is listed in the 1885 Postal Directory with James Marsh as the landlord and on the 1891 census with his wife Sarah as the Landlady. This seems to have been situated somewhere between the Chat Moss and the George and Dragon. |
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Farmers' Arms
This was on Bury Lane/Warrington Road and is shown on the census returns for 1871, 1881 and 1891. Thomas Unsworth was in charge on all three returns. |
Grey Horse Inn
Bury Lane/Warrington Road. Robert Haworth was the landlord in 1861. |
Village Inn
This is shown in the 1885 Postal Directory and on the 1891 census as being on Warrington Road. Thomas and Sarah Ashton are in charge. |
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The New Inn
This building still stands and is now a restaurant. It is shown in the census returns of 1871, 1881 and 1891 as being on Platt Lane and with the Lowe family in charge. |
The New Inn - date unknown
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The Cross Keys Inn
This building still stands but is now a domestic dwelling. The pub lettering can still be seen on the brickwork.
This building still stands but is now a domestic dwelling. The pub lettering can still be seen on the brickwork.
The Cross Keys Inn. Photo courtesy of Danny Hindley
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Cross Keys Cottage. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
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The Alehouse Act & The Beerhouse Act
The Alehouse Act 1828, which established a general annual licensing meeting to be held in every city, town, division, county and riding, for the purposes of granting licences to inns, alehouses and victualling (provision of food) houses to sell excisable liquors to be drunk on the premises.
Two years later, the Beerhouse Act enabled any rate-payer to brew and sell beer on payment of a licence costing two guineas.
Beerhouses were not allowed to open on Sundays, or sell spirits and fortified wines; and any beerhouse discovered to be breaking these rules was closed down and the owner heavily fined.
The intention was to increase competition between brewers; lowering prices and encouraging people to drink beer instead of strong spirits.
Within eight years 46,000 new beerhouses opened and, because operating costs were so low, huge profits were often made. The combination of increasing competition and high profits eventually led to what has been described as a 'golden age of pub building' when many landlords extended or redeveloped their properties, adopting many of the recognisable features which still exist today.
Attempts to check the growth were made from 1869 onwards, by introducing magisterial control and new licensing laws, aimed at making it harder to obtain a licence and controlling drunkenness, prostitution and undesirable conduct on licensed premises.
Two years later, the Beerhouse Act enabled any rate-payer to brew and sell beer on payment of a licence costing two guineas.
Beerhouses were not allowed to open on Sundays, or sell spirits and fortified wines; and any beerhouse discovered to be breaking these rules was closed down and the owner heavily fined.
The intention was to increase competition between brewers; lowering prices and encouraging people to drink beer instead of strong spirits.
Within eight years 46,000 new beerhouses opened and, because operating costs were so low, huge profits were often made. The combination of increasing competition and high profits eventually led to what has been described as a 'golden age of pub building' when many landlords extended or redeveloped their properties, adopting many of the recognisable features which still exist today.
Attempts to check the growth were made from 1869 onwards, by introducing magisterial control and new licensing laws, aimed at making it harder to obtain a licence and controlling drunkenness, prostitution and undesirable conduct on licensed premises.
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© Cheyvonne Bower 2023