Kings Head, Broad Street, Littledean

The Kings Head is prominently located on the junction of Broad Street and Church Street overlooking the mini-roundabout on the A4151.

The inn dates back to the eighteenth century. In the 1851 census Joseph Sier of Littledean is entered as a builder (employing four men) and innkeeper of the Kings Head, Broad Street. A reference twelve years later in 1863 to the Queens Head may have been a mistake of the enumerator but it is possible that it had changed its name at that time when William Townsend was innkeeper.

The Alton Court Brewery of Ross on Wye owned the Kings Head in 1891 and 1903. The license of the Kings Head was designated alehouse status with an annual rateable value of £19.0s.0d. Closing time was 10 pm.

Note the advert for Golden Hop on Draught – a beer from the Alton Court Brewery in Ross-on-Wye

One of Alton Court Brewery’s beers was called Golden Hop and a painted advertisement for ‘Golden Hop on Draught’ was displayed in the bricked-up window on the Broad Street side of the Kings Head. There were only a handful of ACB pubs in Gloucestershire so beer drinkers must have appreciated downing a few pints of Golden Hop. There were also bottled beers called Golden Brown and Golden Crown.

When the license of the Kings Head was transferred from William Glastonbury to Howard Beet in 1907 an inventory of the property gave details of a ‘club room, entrance hall, bar, commercial room, kitchen, back kitchen, sitting room, pantry, cellar, skittle alley, stable and garden.’

The Alton Court Brewery was acquired by Stroud Brewery Company in 1956 and the Kings Head passed from their ownership through West Country Breweries to Whitbread. A surprising survivor, considering the recent history of the Kings Head, is a ‘West Country Ales – 1760 – Best in the West’ ceramic plaque that remains in situ.

Gloucester Journal, 22nd August 1863 – Attempting to defraud creditors: William Townsend, a respectable-looking man, was charged with concealing property of about 20/. value, with intent to defraud his creditors, at Newnham.

Mr. Henry James prosecuted; Mr. Motteram defended the prisoner.

Mr. James, in opening the case for the prosecution, stated that in February 1862, the prisoner took the King’s Head Inn, at Littledean, and being unfortunate in business, he got considerably in debt, and in January, this year, became a bankrupt. The charge against him was brought under the 221st section of the Bankruptcy Act of 1861, which, for the security of creditors, rendered it unlawful for any person, after his adjudication as a bankrupt, or within sixty days prior to it, to remove any goods from his premises. A bankrupt, when coming up for his examination, was required to state in his schedule what were his debts and also what property he had, and one of the points in this was that the prisoner did not state that he had the property which he was charged with secreting. A second count charged the prisoner with mutilating his account books, with intent to conceal the state of his affairs. It would be proved that the prisoner, on the night of the 12th of January, removed goods to the value of about 20l into the house of a neighbour, who, though a reluctant witness, would be called before them. After reading extracts from the prisoner’s examinations in the bankruptcy bearing upon the case, the learned counsel called the following evidence:

Mr. Parker, of Newnham, produced a file of the proceedings in the prisoner’s bankruptcy. Mary Ann Purnell stated that she was the wife of Onesiphorus Purnell and lived two houses distant from the King’s Head Inn, Littledean. She recollected on the night of the 12th of January the prisoner bringing goods to her house. They were put into her bakehouse, where they remained until the next day, when they were removed into her bedroom, and were afterwards distributed into several bedrooms. Her son assisted at the removal. She recollected Mr. Bennett, the assignee, coming to her house and demanding the goods, and taking some away. The prisoner had been sleeping at her house. The prisoner’s bed was left.

Cross-examined: When the prisoner came to the King’s Head in January he had only recently been married, and his wife told her (witness) that some of the goods were hers.

Emma Bamford, wife of Joseph Bamford, brother of the last witness, deposed that she lived next door to the King’s Head, Littledean. In January a bureau was brought into her house from Townsend’s over a low wall at the back. It was between six and seven o’clock in the evening.

Cross examined: The back way to her house was the usual way, and she used to get things from the King’s Head that way.

Joseph Bennett stated that he was the assignee in the prisoner’s bankruptcy. In consequence of something which he was told he went to Mrs. Purnell’s and took away some furniture. Did not take away any wearing apparel. Saw Townsend, who did not say he had any more furniture. The prisoner owed him 50l. or 60l. Went to the Cross Keys Inn and received two account books from the landlady.

Cross-examined: Received these books on the 20th of April; the examination of the prisoner was held on the following day.

Mr. James Karn, auctioneer and valuer, said some household furniture was shown to him by Mr. Bennett. He valued the first lot at 24/. 9s. 6d. and the second at 6/. 6s. 9d.

Ellen Clift, daughter of the landlord of the Cross Keys Inn, Littledean, said she recollected when the prisoner was living at Mrs. Purnell’s. Recollected him coming to her father’s house in the beginning of April; he brought a parcel. She went into the room when he was leaving and said, “You have left your papers, Mr. Townsend.” He said “Put them where you like.” They remained at the house until Mr. Bennett came for them.

Mr. Motteram in his address to the jury on behalf of the prisoner contended that the latter removed the goods under the impression that the law allowed a bankrupt to take property to the amount of 20/. for his own use. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced four months imprisonment in the common gaol.

The above research and information submitted by Dr Martyn Beaufort.

In February 1971 the Kings Head was the venue for a local ‘This is Your Life’ programme. The ‘programme’ was prepared and compiled by Mr Frank Middlecote and Mr Maurice Buffrey. Mr Hubert ‘Scubie’ Jaynes was quietly supping his usual pint and minding his own business when a loud voice said, ”Mr Jaynes, this is your life!”, which made him almost fall out of his chair! From then on a succession of friends and family came in to greet him, all recalling the incidents in the life of ‘our Scubie’.

Forest of Dean and Ross on Wye Pubs. A critical guide by Jon Hurley (booklet, 1991): Comfortable but unfussy two barred (sic) local. The newish landlord has used his broom to sweep away past modernisations and in the process uncovered a nice old stone and brick fireplace which now roars with welcoming logs in the winter. Bits of brassy things glint on the bare walls and a pool table stubbornly dominated the centre stage. The menu is short but the Very Hot Curry and Rice we had was hot and very tasty, as well as being very reasonably priced. The only wine on view was the ubiquitous Liebfraumilce selling cheaply and well. April, the barmaid, was friendly and comely, making tired and emotional guide compilers welcome with her radiant smile. The smaller, quieter and less exciting saloon bar is ideal for us fogies.

The Kings Head closed down for a number of years in the early 1990’s. The Campaign for Real Ale 1996 publication ‘Real Ale in Gloucestershire’ noted that the Kings Head, ‘a local corner pub, re-opened summer 1995 after being shut for two years. Trade now building up and entertainment, including live music, is being increasingly offered.’ At the time of the CAMRA survey Crown Buckley ales from Wales were on tap.

Towards the end of the 20^th century it would be fair to say that the reputation of the Kings Head was causing concern. An unsavoury incident occurred when the landlord had his ear bitten and a barmaid was spat upon following an argument about the use of a pool table. The landlord was left with a two-inch scar around the back of his right ear.

The Kings Head had closed once again by 2005. In October 2006 an application was made to Forest of Dean District Council to convert the former Kings Head into five homes, including two one-bed flats. The skittle alley was to be removed to provide access to a rear courtyard. Permission was refused because of concerns of the proposed residents parking area and the restricted visibility gaining access to the busy road. On a site visit the committee had pretended they were in cars trying to leave the proposed parking area. One councillor said, “You’re pulling out onto a busy road with absolutely no idea of what’s coming along the road.” However, Councillor James Bevan (Con, Lydney) said that it would be a missed opportunity to turn the application down because of the parking. He said, “The place will deteriorate for quite a few years until someone comes up with something.”

In May 2008 planning permission was granted to convert the pub into three two-bedroom flats and two single-bedroom flats.

In November 2011 the building had fallen into such a terrible state of disrepair it was considered dangerous. Parish council chairman Henry Boughton remarked, “It’s time for the building to undergo a compulsory purchase and be demolished before it falls down by itself.” Pete Smith, who owned a butchers’ shop sharing the same building, complained that the walls he had painted and tiled six months ago were blistering and swelling with damp. He said, “There is a fire on the other side of the wall and when the pub was open you could feel the heat coming through. Now it’s the opposite. It’s in a terrible state now; all the plaster and ceilings are falling in. I have plans to sell my business but who wants to buy it when it is next to this?”

A humorous sign was tacked onto one of the boarded-up windows which read:

Me, the Kings Head…

All the years I served you lot,

And you just sit and let me rot,

If I fall upon your head,

I’m pretty sure you’ll be dead,

So, get your council to look around,

Perhaps I’ll be lucky, and they’ll pull me down.

Despite the state of dereliction, the West Country Ales plaque remained untouched.

Eventually the approved planning permission granted in 2008 expired and the derelict building was bought at auction by developer Alex Hurran, after Forest of Dean District Council threatened action to force the previous owner to make the Kings Head safe. A further application to demolish the butcher’s shop to make way for parking were approved in February 2017. Littledean Parish Council clerk Vicky Roberts said, “Some parishioners have commented on the sale of the Kings Head and the progress that has been made, so far, and that all comments have been positive. The parish council is pleased that the building has been sold to an individual who has already improved the appearance of the building, made safe the butcher’s shop window and is working hard to make it safe inside.”

Looking good again after the refurbishment. May 2019.

Landlords at the Kings Head include:

1837 Susan Thomas

1851 Joseph Sier (innkeeper, mason and builder)

1856 Elizabeth Sier

1863 William Townsend (Queens Head)

1876 William Morse (innkeeper and farmer)

1880 Thomas Lapington

1885,1891 Alfred Westbrook

1902,1903 Walter Roger Marshall

1906 William Glastonbury

1907 Howard Beet

1919,1927 John Henry Woodward

1939 Albert R. Hawkins

c.1946-1956 Mr. Popejoy

1956-1979 Albert William Raymond Coles

1979-c.1983 Patrick Bird

1983-1985 David Pearce

1985-1987 Robert Mays

1998 Dave and Wendy ?

1999 Alex O’Dell

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