The Dog Inn, on the north side of the A40 Ross Road, had opened by 1760.  In the eighteenth century it was known alternatively as the Talbot Inn. Parts of the original building survive, but the inn was largely rebuilt by Gambier Parry of nearby Highnam Court who gave it gables with decorative barge-boards.

Gloucester Journal: October 14th, 1876: – The annual ploughing match at Highnam will take place on Tuesday next to be followed by a dinner at the Dog, Over, where Mr W.P. Price will preside.

G Cummings provided materials to the Dog Inn at Over for Home Brewed Beer.

The Citizen – Tuesday, October 6th, 1981 – Advertisement Feature: For well over 300 years there has been a Dog Inn at Over. It was known originally as the Talbot Inn and was the heraldic word for a hound or dog. We also know that exactly 300 years ago, the innkeeper, William Montague, who had been host of the Inn for some time, made his will and by it transferred the premises, together with his supplies of ‘Syder and Bear’ to his son, and thence to his grandson. The Montagues built up a considerable reputation at the Inn over 80 years.

There is no doubt that the building has been altered from those very early days. Some changes were made in the last century and some more recently to cope with the needs of catering today. To meet the changing trends and tastes in catering, several alterations have been made during the last month to services offered. A more typically English menu has ensured that the new ‘value for money’ policy being adopted, is achieved instantly. Each course is now costed inclusive of all items and charges, and with a 1lb ‘T’Bone selling at £5.70 fully inclusive, the value is surely demonstrated. Family Sunday lunch at £3.95 fully inclusive, also shows this new approach, as children under 12 are only charged £2.50 for a three-course roast beef lunch! Party catering in the adjoining stable bar adds a new dimension to services offered.

Whilst the attractive, house prepared lunchtime buffet service will remain, the bar area can now be hired in the evening for dinners or parties for up to 80 persons. There is the added advantage of no room hire charge and the benefit of normal pub bar prices (a few Christmas Party dates are still available.

Near to The Dog, is the famous Over Bridge built by Thomas Telford 152 years ago. There is little doubt that he would have used the Dog Inn and both he and the many travellers would have been grateful for the ‘Happy Hour’ that starts on Monday. From 6pm to 730 pm every evening, Monday to Friday, all bar prices will be reduced by 20 per cent!

Gone are days when the Dog at Over’s main refreshments consisted of mainly ‘Syder and Bear’. However the welcome will be just as warm and the new managers, Kathi and Chris Morton, together with the staff, look forward to building on the reputation established over 300 years ago.

The Citizen – Thursday, February 28th, 1991- £1m grooming for The Dog: The Dog at Over, one of Gloucester’s best known pubs, is having a £1 million facelift. By August builders hope to have completed a major renovation with extensions to the sides and rear in a style that retains the existing character of the building, parts of which are early Georgian. John Verey, project manager of Toby Restaurants – the catering arm of owners Bass Brewery – said: “It is many years since any major work was done to The Dog. We will be creating a 100-seat grill restaurant, a lounge bar and pantry and a pre-food bar. It will still retain its usual bars.” The huge stone dog which has sat patiently outside the pub for many years will also be ‘groomed’ to fit the pub’s new image.

The stone dog can now be seen at the Over Farm Market, next door to the pub.

The Citizen – Monday, August 10th, 1991 – Jack drops in as pub re-opens: The opening of a newly refurbished pub near Gloucester could not have been in safer hands. England’s top wicketkeeper Jack Russell took time off from Gloucestershire County Cricket Club to formally declare the Dog at Over open. He had to share the billing for the occasion with a statue of a black dog standing guard outside the pub. The larger than life hound has been specially made to welcome customers.

Owners Toby Restaurants have just spent £1.4 million on refitting the pub. Jack Russell – hoping to regain his England place for the next test against Sri Lanka on Thursday – pulled the first celebratory pint for landlord Richard Norton and his wife Barbara. The Dog re-opens to the public next weekend.

In August 1998 the owners, Toby Inns, announced that a major £435,000 refurbishment of the Dog Inn would also involve a change of name to the Toby Carvery. A manager said at the time: “I think it is a good idea to change the name. The Dog has always been known as a trouble pub.” However, the proposed name change created a great deal of controversy. A 52 year old man who had frequented the Dog Inn for over thirty years said: “Changing the pub’s name will achieve nothing apart from upsetting those who have always known it as the Dog.” The statue of the black Labrador dog, which stood outside the pub for nearly a century, was donated to the nearby Over Farm Market. Not content with changing the pub name Bass Taverns also effectively moved the pub geographically from Over to Highnam. The Toby Carvery at Highnam opened on November 16th 1998. The Toby Carvery was severely flooded in the Great Gloucestershire Flood of July 20th 2007 when the restaurant was filled waist high with water. It was closed for seven weeks.

This page will be updated with additional information.

https://www.tobycarvery.co.uk/restaurants/south-west/highnamgloucestershire#/

Map Reference: SO 813196

Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse

Owner in 1891: Trustees of T. Gambier Parry (free from brewery tie)

Rateable Value in 1903: £38.0s.0d.

Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse

Owner in 1903: Sir C.H. Parry, Bart. (free from brewery tie)

Closing time in 1903: 10pm

Owners in 1998: Bass Taverns (Toby Restaurants)

Owners in 2005: Mitchell & Butlers

Telephone: 01452 521191 (Toby Carvery)

Landlords at the Dog at Over include:

1856,1876 Philip Powell (also listed as a farmer in 1876 Died Suddenly in February 1883 ‘he had been ailing lately’.

1885 Swan Webster Powell

1891,1903,1906  Mrs Sarah Ann Cooper

1919, 1927 Albert Edward King

1957 Laurence E. Coburn

1970’s Ronald Sills

1981 Kathi & Chris Morton (managers)

1991 Richard and Barbara Norton

1997 Peter Turner (pub manager)

1998 Dave Mason (manager)

2004 James Richards (landlord, Toby Carvery)

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