The 1891 and 1903 licensing books lists the Bell Inn as being in the Parish of Dymock. Today Bromsberrow Heath is within the Bromsberrow and Dymock ward/electoral division, which is in the constituency of Forest of Dean, but has a Ledbury postal code (HR8). Bromsberrow Heath, located at the southern tip of the Malvern Hill range, is near the borders of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The M50 dissects the village close to the A417 junction 2.
The Bell Inn had a low rateable value of just £9.0s.0d. in 1891. Edward Gibbs was the owner and the Bell was a beer house free of brewery tie. Twelve years later in 1903 Edwin Gibbs is listed as the owner of the Bell (could Edwin be Edward’s son?) The annual rateable value had increased by £3 to £12.0s.0d. Closing time was at 10 pm. The lease of the Bell Inn had been taken by Lane, Bros & Bastow of the Vine Brewery in Ledbury. They also supplied their beer to the Anchor in Newent, the Horseshoe Inn at Brooms Green and the Glass House near May Hill.
The enumerator has listed John Woodhouse at the Bell Inn in 1891 and John Woodward at the Bell in 1903. An administrative error perhaps? Or maybe a coincidence of two near identical surnames.
In the late 19th century the Bell Inn was a meeting place of a Friendly Society which drew membership from Bromsberrow and Dymock.
The Citizen, Thursday 2nd January 1975: To celebrate the 70th birthday of Denis Cooper, the landlord, Ledbury Hounds met at The Bell, Bromsberrow. Mr Cooper is one of the oldest and best known members of Gloucester and Cotswold Motor Club. He rode in the first Tirley Grand National in 1929 and competed in every one of the next 40 annual events, winning on a number of occasions. On his retirement from racing in 1969 the club presented him with an illuminated address. A keen supporter of Ledbury Hounds he follows them three times a week – on his motorcycle. But no one has ever persuaded him to venture forth on a horse. In our picture Denis is seem with Nimrod Champion, huntsman to the Ledbury Hunt.
The Citizen: Saturday, October 8th, 1988 – Pub hits jackpot: The landlords of the Bell Inn near Ledbury can raise their glasses to toast £290,000 which the site fetched when it was sold at auction. The land at Bromsberrow – with planning permission for demolishing the pub to build four bungalows – was sold to Flanagan Contractors Ltd. Bidding started at £100,000. The sale, by Pearce Pope & Sons, was on behalf of Mr and Mrs Ewart Hopkins who had run the inn.
The Bell called ‘last orders’ for the last time in 1988. The building is now a private residence called Bell House.
