Libations at the lost inns of Langley
STEVE JAMES tours the pubs past and present in this corner of the Black Country
The Hen and Chickens is fondly remembered for the romances started in its ballroom, opened in 1961
IN the 16th century, Langley formed part of the largely rural Manor of Walloxhall, but soon merged with Oldbury. It became home to several major industrial firms, including Chance’s chemical and alkali works and Albright and Wilson’s phosphorus works, along with other iron and steel foundries, engineering and chemical works, collieries, claypits and brickworks, along with Parkes’ Classic Confectionery factory. A handful of breweries also supplied the local pubs, serving the thirsty workers.
Langley Green is the oldest part of Langley, but the main focus is along High Street, with its shops, pubs, Institute, Picture Theatre and park, which was dominated by the chimney of the phosphorus works. On the corner of Five Ways, the Crosswells was originally a home-brew house dating from 1849, where William Wincott and Stephen Duffield brewed their own beer until it was taken over by Showell’s Crosswells Brewery in 1890. After it was rebuilt in 1924, Albert Cotterill kept the pub until 1951, when it’s remembered for its Saturday night “free and easies”. In 1984 it opened as one of the first Holt, Plant and Deakin pubs, based on the nearby micro-brewery, and still serves the local community.
In High Street, the Fountain (1862) was another Showell’s pub, which became Langley’s post office in 1910. In Trinity Street, the New Market Tavern (1881) was yet another of Showell’s pubs, first kept by William and Harriet Ashley, who were also grocers, and later by Robert Read. Facing Holy Trinity Church is the Coal Shed, originally the Queen’s Head dating from 1845, but known locally as the “Model”, with its windows advertising Frederick Smith’s Aston Model Brewery. It was home to Langley’s Homing Pigeon Society and was renamed the Model in 1968, and became the Coal Shed in 2018. Not far away in Park Lane was the Eagle (1858), once a Holder’s (Birmingham) pub, kept by Robert Read and his son from 1914 until closing in 1940.
In Station Road, at Uncle Ben’s canal bridge (named after a local pawnbroker), was the New Inn (1861), another Showell’s pub. It was also the headquarters of the local cricket, bowling and cycling clubs and, in 1984, became the base for the new Holt, Plant and Deakin micro-brewery. Renamed the Brewery Inn, it became the Finings and Firkin when it was sold to the Firkin group in 1997. It was renamed the Bridge in 2011, but was demolished in 2013 and replaced by new housing.
In Langley Green, next to St Michael and All Angels Church, the Old Cross is probably the oldest pub in the area, dating from the late 18th century and first licensed in 1845. Originally a home-brew pub, its first landlord, Thomas Goode was a pig farmer and cattle dealer (did he have a “Good Life”?), while another early landlord ran the local smithy. It became a Cheshire’s (Smethwick) pub, kept by Fred and Martha Darby from 1906-1948 and had a popular bowling green. Opposite was the Royal Oak, dating from before 1844 as the Red Lion and once another Holder’s pub. It was rebuilt in the early 1900s, and kept by Fred and Gertie Butler until 1941, but is now closed. Closer to the railway line, the Railway (1870) was originally a home-brew pub, but had a much shorter life, closing in 1910, while in Henry Street, the Beehive (1881), another Showell’s pub, closed in 1923. In Tat Bank Road, opposite Wellesley Road, was the Albion. In 1987, it was renamed the Cottage, after a fatal stabbing, and became the New Cottage Indian bar and grill in 2017. In Vicarage Road, the Merrivale opened as one of the “fewer and better” Mitchells and Butlers’ pubs in 1938, designed by J. Percy Clarke. At that time, this mock Jacobean building was described as a “new architectural feature” and “one of the best hotels” in the area, but unfortunately it was damaged by fire in 2017 and is now a derelict hulk.
In Titford Road, the Navigation (1845) was a canalside home-brew pub where William Comley and Charles Etheridge brewed their own beer until it was taken over by Showell’s in 1905. In 1931, it was rebuilt as the New Navigation in Tudor-revival “improved” style to designs by local architects, Scott and Clark, and is now a Grade II listed building retaining some original features. Remembered for its weekend ox roasts, it was renamed more recently as the Navigation.
November 1927 saw the opening of the Birmingham-wolverhampton New Road, cutting through the fringes of Langley, with several new “roadhouses” built along its route. One of the most well-known was the Hen and Chickens, originally dating from 1871, where Jane and Silas Whitehouse and Captain Rose brewed their own beer until it was taken over by Showell’s in 1914. It was rebuilt in the popular “roadhouse” style and eventually passed to Ansell’s. Fondly remembered for the romances started in its ballroom, opened in 1961, it became a popular
restaurant in 2000.Another similar roadhouse, the Wernley, was built further along the New Road in 1933 for Mitchells and Butlers in Jacobean-revival “reformed” style, with a bowling green, by noted Birmingham pub architects Wood, Kendrick and Reynolds, and is a Grade II listed building.
Finally, on the other side of Causeway Green Road is the Old Dispensary,a micro-pub recently opened in a former pharmacy, but now dispensing prescriptions of a different kind – an ever-changing range of cask and craft keg beers.
Langley was also home to several local breweries. Walter Showell established his Crosswells Brewery in 1870, using water from an ancient medicinal spring, with its “Well of the Holy Cross” trade mark. His beers were available in many local pubs, not only in Langley, but further afield. He also built the nearby Langley Maltings in 1898, designed by London brewery architects, Arthur Kinder and Sons, but they closed in 2006, were seriously damaged by fire in 2009 and are now included in the Victorian Society’s top ten most endangered buildings. The brewery was taken over by Samuel Allsopp (Burton-on-trent), along with its 194 tied houses, in 1914 and eventually became part of a distillery now making Langley gin! David Millerchip Sadler also used the same spring water at his nearby Dog Kennel Brewery in the 1880s.
In 1877, S. N. Thompson and William Webb established the Arden Grove Brewery in Junction Street, but it was bought by Charles King in 1887 who sold it to J. Nunneley (Burton-on-trent) in 1894. In 1871, Henry Swain and Co established the Albion Brewery at the Albion pub in Tat Bank Road, but this
was taken over by Showell’s in 1915.
Many readers will remember the Holt, Plant and Deakin brewery, set up by Ansell’s in 1984 at the New Inn in Station Road. Each week, they brewed 5,000 gallons (40,000 pints!) of their famous “Entire” beer here until 1997, when the brewery and almost 50 pubs were sold to the Firkin chain.
So, Langley retains several interesting and historic pubs, serving a wide range of beers. Long may they prosper!
With acknowledgement to Tony Hitchmough, Joseph Mckenna, Mike Gee and Langley Local History Society.