Brewing up in Wolverhampton – the pubs of Whitmore Reans and Chapel Ash
Watering holes on the western side of town, some still with us, some long gone
In the early days of the Newbridge, horses were changed here for the London to Holyhead stagecoach
WE’VE previously looked at pubs in the town centre, and now we look to the west, including Whitmore Reans and Chapel Ash.
Newhampton Road East gives access to Park Road and the iconic West Park, formerly a race course owned by the Duke of Cleveland and one of the best, unspoilt examples of a Victorian park. Its 43 acres were laid out 1881, followed by a bandstand in 1882 and conservatory a year later. It was also the site of the Wolverhampton Arts & Industrial Exhibition in 1902.
Whitmore Reans is said to be named after the Old English words for a foggy area of marshland, drained by furrows. It was mainly developed after 1842 to house Wolverhampton’s expanding population, in effect a “new town”. Focal points include Leicester Square, Five Ways and the shopping area along Newhampton Road West, known locally as “West Market”.
In 1924, Courtaulds built a factory on the site of Dunstall Hall, whose chimneys became a well-known landmark before being demolished in 1973. In 1976, several buildings were demolished to make way for the Avion shopping centre.
Leicester Square may be best remembered for its cast iron gentleman’s urinal, known locally as the “Pepper Pot” or “Green Man”.
Continuing along Newhampton Street West, we’d find the Vine (1860-1969) and Beehive (18711931), once a Showell’s (Langley) Brewery pub where tin-plate workers met.
In 1972, Lady Bagot opened the Bagot Arms near the Avion centre, which replaced an earlier pub in Coleman Street (1871), and became the headquarters of Bagot Reans FC. In 1997, it won Banks’s Best-kept Cellar award, before closing in 2012. Incidentally, the Bagot family has held land in Staffordshire since the 11th century, based at Blithefield Hall, and Baron Bagot was a local MP.
Many of the pubs in Whitmore Reans are tucked away amongst the Victorian terraced streets. In Newhampton Street West, we’d find the Summer House (1861), which was the headquarters of Summer House FC and still has a bowling green. The Old Round House (18601967) was demolished in 1976 to make way for the Avion centre. The Whitmore Reans (1868) was closed by 1892, whilst the Three Crowns (1891) was later rebuilt, but closed in 1987. In Hordern Road, the Golden Eagle (1928) was converted into a community centre in 2010.
Five Ways was home to the eponymous Five Ways (1860-1966) on the corner of Coleman Street and Lowe Street, whilst the Victoria in Gatis Street closed in 2004. Lowe Street was home to the Grapes (1871-1976), and Rose Tree (18711966), opposite the Junction (18611976) and Yew Tree (1871-1966).
The Fitters Arms (1871) in Evans Street closed in 1965. In Dunstall Road, we’d find the Junction (1861), rebuilt in 1896, but closed in 1976, and the Australian Inn (1891-1934). The Tipster (1977) was a modern pub which was demolished in 2004, whilst in nearby Glentworth Gardens, the Winning Post is a new bar opened in 1982.
On the corner of Harrow Street and Fawdry Street, the Stile Inn (1881) is a typical late-victorian street-corner pub with many original features and included in CAMRA’S inventory of heritage pubs, with a bowling green at the rear.
In Great Hampton Street, the Red Lion (1861) was demolished in 1960, whilst the Ash Tree (18692007) was rebuilt in 1967 and popular with Wolves fans, but was later converted into a take-away. On the corner of Jackson Street and Craddock Street is the modern Gill’s Bar (1972), formerly Pegasus. In Riches Street, the Newhampton (1864) is another Victorian street-corner local, which also has a popular bowling green and has won several local CAMRA awards. On the corner of Clifford Street, the Heart
Park Brewery. The company was registered in May 1890 to amalgamate Banks & Co’s Park Brewery, C C Smith’s Fox Brewery and George Thompson’s Dudley & Victoria Breweries, along with 193 tied houses.
In 1894, Edwin Thompson became managing director and his family dominated the firm for over a century. A new 60-quarter brewery, designed by London architect, Arthur Kinder, was built in 1898 on the Park Brewery site, which was later enlarged. In 1999, the company merged with Marston’s of Burtonon-trent.
The Clarendon Hotel is effectively Banks’s brewery tap. Built in 1849, it’s named after the local Villiers family, who took the title of Earl of Clarendon. The pub is often used by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries for corporate events, including a complimentary dinner given in 1931 to commemorate 50 years service of head brewer, Arthur Smith.
The Combermere Arms dated from 1861 and was acquired by rival brewery, William Butler (Wolverhampton) in 1897. It’s remembered for the lime tree growing in the gents toilets and is a listed building (Grade II). Nearby, on the corner of Lord Street, was the Old Bell (1833-1960).
On the corner of Clifton Street, the Alexandra Hotel (1864) was originally the Princess Alexandra, known locally as the “Alex” and renamed the Tap & Ale in 2015. The Grapes (1864) had its own brewery, but closed in 1937.
Half-way along Tettenhall Road, the Halfway House may date back to 1749 when it was Rose Cottage farmhouse. It was first used as a pub in 1805, and one of the best remembered landlords was James “Fred” Steward (1902-1925) who was prominent in local politics and sporting circles. Unfortunately, the pub was converted into a pharmacy in 2014.
Further along Tettenhall Road is the Newbridge (1854) where, in the early days, horses were changed for the London to Holyhead stagecoach, and landlord Charles Weaver was a coal dealer using the newly established Weavers Coal Wharf on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal. The original pub was demolished in 1937 and rebuilt on the opposite side of the road. In Pendeford Road, we’d find Hail to the Ale, a modern micro-pub opened in 2013.
Along Compton Road, the Royal Oak (1845) was rebuilt in 1925 for Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries by Birmingham architect, Joseph Wood, with a distinctive logo on the corner. The Prince of Wales (1818) was closed by 1881, whilst the Quarter House (1856-2008) was named after the custom of landlords collecting quarterly rents, and rebuilt by Bertram Butler in 1937.
In nearby Vauxhall Avenue, we’d find the Old Vine (1850-2009) and
Rose & Crown (1871-1959). In St Marks’ Street, the Summer House (1864) was rebuilt in 1935, but closed a few years after. The much newer Sheraton Arms (1981) was in Raglan Street. In Finchfield Hill, we’d find the Chestnut Tree (1971), built on the site of the New Inn (1871-1970), and West Acres (1966). In Compton, the Oddfellows Arms originally dated from 1860, but was rebuilt in 1936 for Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries by Albert & Bertram Butler and was the headquarters of Compton FC. The Swan (1833) was originally a coaching inn and is Grade II listed.
Many historic pubs in and around Whitmore Reans and Chapel Ash are no longer with us, but I’m sure many of you will have happy memories of them.
With acknowledgement to