The booklet ‘Gloucestershire Inns’, published in 1924, gives the following information.
‘Here and there a Cotswold inn still bears witness to the wool and the cloth woven from it, which were and are household words throughout the entire country. Thus at Wotton under Edge, that charming old-world town which still recalls as its most striking happening a fire that all but destroyed it in the reign of King John, the Falcon was at one time a favourite meeting place for the rich cloth merchants from the Port of Bristol and the not less wealthy cloth manufacturers of the Stroud Valley. In what are now the dining room and the smoke-room, maker and seller closed their bargains, bargains which resulted in great quantities of West of England fine cloth being exported to every civilised corner of the earth. The exact age of the Falcon cannot be ascertained now, but an important addition dates from 1659, as a tablet set in the wall indicates. Three old mullioned windows have survived the repeated alterations involved in carrying out improvements, and there are remnants of former large coaching stables. The present management of the Falcon is all that the most exacting traveller could desire, an unmistakable air of restfulness, quiet and refinement pervading the house.’
The Falcon was owned by Thomas Pearman-Stevens’ Pickwick Brewery of Corsham in Wiltshire in 1891. The business was acquired by Wilkins Brothers & Hudson Ltd of Bradford on Avon in 1896 with 20 tied houses. However, according to the 1903 petty licensing book, the Falcon was still owned by the Pickwick Brewery in 1903. The pubs of the Wilkins Bros & Hudson Newtown Brewery were later acquired by Ushers Wiltshire Brewery.
The Falcon Inn, was sold to Georges Bristol Brewery on 1st April 1926. The ownership later passed to the Courage Brewery. When it ceased trading, it was free of tie selling a range of real ales.
The 17th century Falcon Hotel closed early in 2008 and it was feared that it will never be re-opened as a pub. A controversial restrictive covenant was placed on the property, stipulating that the sale must be without a licence to sell intoxicating liquor. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and other interested parties campaigned against this unjust restrictive covenant.
Thankfully the worst-case scenario never materialised and the Falcon Inn reopened during mid 2009. It was purchased by Tyndale Inns. Today the Falcon is once again a thriving concern called the ‘Falcon Steakhouse’.
https://www.falconsteakhouse.com/
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: Thomas Pearman-Stephens, Pickwick Brewery, Corsham, Wilts
Rateable Value in 1891: £14.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Pickwick Brewery
Rateable Value in 1903: £14.10s.0s.
Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse
Closing time in 1903: 11pm
Owner in 1926: Georges & Co, Bristol Brewery
Landlords at the Falcon Inn include:
1820,1830 Thomas Cary
1849,1863 George Hobbs Minett
1867 Mrs Elizabeth Wiles
1879,1881 James Derrett (born 1826 in Wotton under Edge)
1885 Mrs Elizabeth Derrett
1889 John Merson Baxter
1891 Laura Isabel Randall
1899 J. Saywood
1902,1903,1910 Caleb Goddard
1919,1927 John Hy. Goddard
1933,1939 Percival Stephen Harper
? William Charles Hooper
? Arthur Nicklin
? James Bond
? Raymond Cross
? John Bartram
1977 – March 1989 William and Irene Suffell
1997 Alison Neave
1997 (Nov) – 1998 (Jan) Mike Birch (former Gloucester rugby player)
1998 Steve Mirfin (manager)
2000 Chris Marchant (owner), Mike Donnelly (deputy manager)
2002 Brigitte Appleyard and Martyn Mould
