Crown Inn, Inchbrook, nr Nailsworth GL5 5HA

The Crown Inn was situated on a bend on the A46 about one mile to the north of Nailsworth. The Crown was described as a ‘real old fashioned inn delightfully situated offering good fare and homely comfort’ in a 1928 Gloucestershire Guide.

‘Last orders’ were called at the pub c 2001 and the site was fenced off. No activity took place and a revised planning application for the demolition of the Crown was submitted to Stroud District Council which was refused. There were several revised planning applications submitted over the next two decades whilst the fabric of the pub building continued to deteriorate.

An application submitted on 9th December 2024 for the erection of two self-build dwelling houses with associated parking and lanscaping at the site of the Crown Inn was granted in 2025.

Gloucester Citizen, Monday 8th February 1904 – Inquest: Mr R.H. Smith, deputy coroner, held an inquest at the Crown Inn, Inchbrook on Saturday afternoon on the death of Mr William Horwood, aged 46, of the Crown Inn, Inchbrook, near Nailsworth, who died suddenly on Friday last. Mr William Dancey was foreman of the jury. After hearing the evidence of the widow, Emma Horwood the jury returned a verdict of death by natural causes – probably heart failure.

Gloucestershire Echo, Monday 8th July 1907 – Alleged theft of money: At Nailsworth Police Court on Saturday night, before W.G. Clissold, Charles Elliott, labourer, of Nympsfield, was charged with stealing 3d. from the till at the Crown Inn, Inchbrook, earlier in the day. Eliza Taylor, the landlady of the inn, said prisoner called at the inn at 3.30 on Saturday afternoon, and was supplied with bread and cheese and some beer. She had occasion to leave the bar, and on returning she looked through the passage window and saw Elliott behind the counter with his hand in the till. On noticing her he hurriedly withdrew his hand and put something into his pocket. She went in and caught hold of him and promised that if he owned up to it she would not send for the police. He persistently denied having taken anything, and so sent for the sergeant. While the messenger had gone he admitted that he had taken 3d. and put it back on the counter. P.S. Brotheridge said in reply to the charge prisoner said he took it to get a drop of drink. He was remanded on bail until July 18th.

Above – Credit: Wilfred Merrett ‘Pubs of the Old Stroud Brewery’

Gloucester Journal, Saturday 16th May 1942 – Nailsworth Inn broken into, Intruders had a drink: During Monday night, the Crown Inn, Inchbrook, Nailsworth was broken into to and money, tobacco and cigarettes were stolen. Mr Arthur Prince, the licensee, heard a noise downstairs while he was in bed, and attributed it to cats, but on Thursday morning he discovered that the heavy iron grid covering the entrance to the cellar had been opened and entry to the premises effected. Three partly empty beer bottles found near a seat outside suggested that the intruders had quenched their thirst before departing. Inquiries are being made by the police.

Image: Gloucestershire Echo

The Citizen: Wednesday, 3^rd April 1985 – ‘Roll out the barrel..’ The first days in his new job were hardly a barrel of laughs when Roger Mayo took over as new landlord at the Crown Inn at Inchbrook. As well as getting to know his regulars and fitting into the new job, former building worker Roger was faced with a catalogue of disasters. Just as a coach party was arriving the microwave cooker broke down, the sewers became blocked, a key broke off in the door lock, the pub cellar was flooded and to cap it all Roger’s wife Shirley went down with ‘flu. “My daughter Tina helped me behind the bar and we just had to struggle through,” said Roger, “I’m sure nothing else can possibly go wrong now. I have worked as a barman and that sort of thing, but never actually ran a pub before. It’s always something we have wanted to do. We have just about settled in now and everything is going very well,” Roger added. A local man, Roger occasionally visited The Crown to play darts before taking over as tenant. Now he is hoping the Gremlins stay away.

Above: Roger and Shirley Mayo

Stroud District Council, Planning Application. Crown Inn, Inchbrook, Nailsworth: Outline application for the erection of two semi-detached dwellings. Change of use of inn to residential. Date 21st January 1998.

Stroud News & Journal, 19th June 2002 – Woman and baby in car smash at pub: Medics rushed a woman driver to hospital after her van ploughed into a pub yesterday afternoon. the 35-year-old woman, from the Stroud area, was prized from the van from firemen and taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital by ambulance after the incident at the Crown Inn, Inchbrook near Nailsworth at 1.40pm. She was treated for a suspected broken toe and wrist. A ten month old baby was also in the van but was not believed to have been seriously injured.

Stroud News & Journal, Wednesday 29th December 2004 – Planning appeal is withdrawn: A developer has withdrawn a planning appeal it had lodged with the planning inspectorate after the district council turned down its application to convert a Nailsworth pub into flats. Bluchie Ltd., developer of the Crystal Fountain retirement village at Inchbrook, has pulled out of the appeals process which had been initiated to try to push through the conversion of the Crown Inn. The public inquiry set for 1st February has been cancelled.

Stroud District Council Planning Application. Wednesday, April 18th 2007: The Crown Inn, Inchbrook – Demolition of existing disused public house and the construction of six two-bed flats, including associated external works.