The present-day address of the Nags Head is 36 Meendhurst Road, which is just off Church Road. The Nags Head is situated in a hollow but there are fine views of the Forest of Dean from the pubs garden.
In the 1891 and 1903 licensing books of Gloucestershire the Nags Head is listed as a ‘free house’. Throughout those years the Nags Head, a beer house, had an annual rateable value of £17.0s.0d. It was owned by Thomas Jones in 1891 (occupier Thomas Jenkins) and Alice Jenkins in 1903. The Jenkins family sold the pub to the Alton Court Brewery of Ross on Wye in 1927. Stroud Brewery then acquired the Alton Court Brewery with their pubs, including the Nags Head, in 1956. West Country Breweries and Whitbread were the subsequent owners.
Gloucester Journal: Saturday August 27th 1977 – Out & About Feature: The Nags Head Inn: ‘The Nags Head is situated in pleasant surroundings only a couple of minutes from Cinderford on the Cinderford-Ruspidge road and commands extensive views over Forest woodland and Welsh mountains. Over the last few years many structural and décor changes have taken place, whilst maintaining a local atmosphere. There is ample car parking space and recently laid lawns are equipped with various swings and attractions to keep the children entertained. An organist is in attendance every Saturday evening for a sing song one would expect at the local. Dick and Irene look forward to seeing you.’
The Nags Head is a regular venue for live music. When Lin Bedington took over in October 2012 she had the help of her three daughters and son to run the pub. She said, ‘Running a successful pub these days is a big challenge but there are a lot of local people who want to see this pub kept going. We are going to keep the live music going on Saturday nights because the pub has made a name for itself for that and they pull in a good crowd. The pub has a nice feelgood factor to it and we’re going to give it a bit of a facelift. There’s also a big beer garden that we’re going to put back into use. It won’t happen overnight but we hope to be offering food as soon as possible.’ In addition to its reputation as a premier music venue, the Nags Head now hosts ‘open mic’ nights, comedy nights and pub-quizzes. On Sunday 4th August 2013 a charity raising event in aid of Cancer Research UK and the Air Ambulance helped raise £681.70.
Landlords at the Nags Head include:
1891 Thomas Jenkins
1902,1903 Alice Jenkins (listed as beer retailer in 1902)
1939 Edwin F. Tooze
1977 Dick & Irene Evans
1979-1981 Keith Edward Carpenter
1983 Patricia Reynolds
2012 Lin Bedington
