The Codrington Arms is actually in the parish of Iron Acton although the North Road area has always been separate from the village of Iron Acton. The area once housed the miners cottages for the collieries on Engine Common (then called Yate Common). The boundary between Yate and Iron Acton divides the common and cuts across North Road. Modern developments have also seen North Road now being physically attached to Yate. The Codrington Arms was known for a while as Jamesons in the late 1990’s. However, it has now reverted back to its original name. The Codrington Arms is now a popular public house and restaurant – ‘a country pub only minutes from town’.
Gloucestershire Chronicle, 17th August 1847:
George Farr, 19, was indicted for burglariously breaking open the dwelling-house of Thomas Powney, at Iron Acton, on the night of the 13th of April, and stealing 2lbs. of tea and other articles, his property. Thomas Powney — I keep the Codrington Arms, Iron Acton, in this county: about half – past 5 on the 14th of April, I found that the window of the brewhouse had been broken open; I had in my possession a particular half-penny with a piece cut out of it; I noticed tome tracks leading to the window; I saw James White compare some shoes with the tracks; they led from the window about a quarter of mile from my home; the prisoner lives about a mile and a quarter from house; the prisoner was at my house on the Monday; there was then nothing the matter with his face; ; after he was apprehended I saw that his eye-brows and whiskers were burnt; I noticed that the upright post in the shop had been burnt, and a piece was blown out of a pewter pot; it appeared to have been done by gunpowder; there was about half-a-pound of gunpowder left In the shop; in the morning there none remaining. P.C. Thomas Williams proved, that he found at the prisoners residence, a pocket containing some money; the prisoner’s mother owned the pocket, and said the prisoner had given her the money; among other coins was piece of half-penny which he showed to Mr. Powney. The prosecutor identified the broken coin. The prisoner was found guilty. His Lordship said, he had reason believe that the prisoner had been pursuing a career of crime and was a very dangerous man; he sentenced him to be transported for 10 years. The prisoner, on leaving the dock, said “Thank you, my lord, I hope you’ll sit there till I come back.”
Thank you to Dr Martyn Beaufort for the above research and information.
Gloucestershire Gazette, Thursday 17th 2022: A pub in Iron Acton has become the latest in the area to have a life-saving defibrillator unit installed on the premises. Developer Newland Homes funded the state-of-the-art defibrillator which has been installed at the Codrington Arms pub in North Road, Engine Common.
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery
Rateable value in 1891: £14.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891:
Owner in 1903: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery
Rateable value in 1903: £14.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903:
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Codrington Arms include:
1847 Thomas Powney
1856 J. Shipp
1885,1906 John Washbourne
1919,1939 Harry Washbourne
2003 (January) Mark and Helen Janes
2022 Jenna Hale