The Devonshire Brewery stood on the western corner of Devonshire Street.  The original street numbering was 291 High Street, equating to 352 Lower High Street in the present day.

John Vanstone Moles was the owner of the Devonshire Brewery Inn in 1891 and 1903 which he ran free from brewery tie. It was licensed as a beer house. The annual rateable value in 1891 was £17.0s.0d. which increased by one pound and ten shillings to £18.10s.0d. in 1903.

It is known that the pub was brewing beer in 1883 as Leonard H. Warren is listed as a brewer on the premises, but the ‘free from brewery’ tie description in the 1891 licensing book gives little clue if brewing was still being carried out on the premises eight years later.

When it closed in 1927 it was known as the Devonshire Inn. In 1955 the building was in use as a ladies’ hairdresser and in 1996 it was specialising in children’s dance wear trading as Young Dancers. The building now houses Dream Seams and there is nothing to indicate that the small building was once a pub. There is a rather splendid, thought provoking mural on the Devonshire Street side depicting a turtle entangled with a plastic bag and fishing tackle.

Landlords of the Devonshire Brewery Inn include:

1883 Leonard H. Warren – listed as a brewer

1891 Charlotte Matilda Warren

1903 George William Francis

1926 Annie Skidmore (beer retailer)

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