Pubs and Breweries in Gloucestershire Past and Present
Plough Inn, Callowell, nr Salmon Springs, Stroud
The 17th century cottage stood just to the north of Callowell Farm and housed the Plough Inn until at least 1882. The Plough Inn must have been one of the nearest pubs to Godsell’s Brewery in Salmon Springs. However, there is no mention of the pub in the 1891 and 1903 books of licensed premises in Gloucestershire.
John Rogers (who can remember drinking in some long closed pubs in the Stroud Valleys) told me in January 2008 that although he never drank in the pub he thought it was known as the Callowell Inn.
In June 2022 I was contacted by John Phelps who told me that his father Jack Phelps was the landlord of the Plough Inn. His mother Hilda took on the licence when Jack passed away. John pointed out that the pub was never known as the Callowell Inn, and the Plough closed in 1962 as the building was deemed unsafe. It was demolished soon afterwards.
Gloucester Journal, 3rd April 1852:
William Bassett, aged 28, was indicted for having, at Stroud, on the 10th of November, maliciously wounded one Thomas Wood, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. Mr Cripps was for the prosecution, and Mr Cooke for the defence.
Thomas Wood: I am a miller living at Callowell near Stroud. About nine o’clock on the evening of the 10th Nov. I was at the Plough beer house; the prisoner came in soon afterwards, and wanted to take my beer; he threatened to knock my glass down my throat; I believe he had been intoxicated; there was some quarrelling, as the prisoner challenged to fight anyone in the house, and the prisoner put up his leg and said I should not leave; I sat down; I afterwards went out, and found the prisoner about ten yards from the public house offering to fight any man; I went to the prisoner, and asked him to go home quietly, and offered to go part of the way with him; I went part of the way with him, and then left him and told him to go home; he picked up something and threw it at me; it struck me on the temple; the blood came from one eye; I saw him run away; I stood for a minute or two, calling for assistance, and fell down insensible; I have since lost my right eye.
Other evidence was called in corroboration; one of the witnesses spoke to Wood, having said to Bassett he would frighten Wood if he came back and went to Bassett. The surgeon proved that the wound could not have been made by a fist; a stone might have produced it.
Mr Cooke suggested to the jury, that the prosecutor was following the prisoner, who took up the stone and threw it in self defence.
His Lordship summed up, and the jury found the guilty of unlawfully wounding. The prisoner was sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labour.
The above information and reseearch courtesy Dr Martyn Beaufort
Map Reference: SO 884064
The approximate site of the Plough Inn at CallowellCallowell
