The property is now residential known as The Nags Head House.
Fred Boughton in his book ‘Memories of Mitcheldean’ recalled the time in the early 20th century when the limestone quarries at Plump Hill were in operation and stone was hauled by horse and cart down the hill to Mitcheldean. He wrote, ‘Just on down the road was the old Point public house, and down the rocky hillside in front of the Point was the Nags Head. On a clear day there was a wonderful view from the Point. You could see the horseshoe bend in the Severn at Newnham and forty miles down the vale into Somerset. At Easter when the bore came up the Bristol Channel a crowd would stand at the point and watch the Severn six miles away at Newnham.’
John Jones was the owner of the Nags Head in 1891, a beer house which was free of brewery tie. The occupying landlord was David Simmons. The Simmons family had taken full ownership of the Nags Head in 1903 when Daniel Simmons was the owner and Moses Simmons was the landlord. The annual rateable value of the Nags Head was £15.0s.0d. Closing time was at 10 pm.
The Nags Head beerhouse was referred for compensation without any objection at the principal meeting of the Compensation Authority for the County of Gloucester held at Shire Hall, Gloucester, on Thursday 24th June 1926.
Stroud News and Gloucestershire Advertiser, Friday 19th April 1872 – Drunk and Riotous: Horatio Page was summoned by Mrs Simmonds, landlady of the Nags Head, Plump Hill, for being drunk and riotous and refusing to quit. It seems defendant is a notorious character, as he has been fined twice for the same offence. The plaintiff was obliged to ask a man in the house to put him out, as he was so very violent. The magistrates fined him £2 and costs, in default one month.
Ross Gazette, Thursday 9th March 1911 – Mitcheldean: At Littledean Petty Sessions on Friday last, Miles Matthews, labourer, Plump Hill, and Leonard Hawkins, farmer’s son, were summoned for moving 12 store pigs into a scheduled area without a licence on the 21st Feb. Thomas Hawkins, farmer, Longhope, being the owner, was summoned for causing the pigs to be removed; and George Hale, landlord of the Nag’s Head, Plump Hill, was summoned for receiving the pigs well knowing them to have been removed without a licence. Thomas Hawkins and Hale pleaded not guilty. After hearing the evidence the Bench dismissed the case against Hale, fined Thomas Hawkins 10s. and 8s. costs, whilst the other defendants had to pay 3s. 6d. costs each.
Gloucester Citizen, Saturday 6th August 1927 – Ejection order at Plump Hill – Ex licensee’s tenancy of the Nags Head:
At Littledean Petty Sessions on Friday— before Mr. Ivo W. Baldwin (in the chair) and other magistrates—Sidney Barnard, collier, Plump Hill, applied for an ejectment order against Joseph Bennett, the late licensee of the Nag’s Head, Plump Hill, Mitcheldean. Mr. H Langley-Smith (Gloucester) appeared for the applicant, and Mr. H. J. B. Martin (Gloucester) represented the respondent.
Mr. Langley-Smith said the applicant bought the premises, formerly the Nag’s Head, for the accommodation of himself and wife, and their family of nine. The licence had been refused on the ground of redundancy. The applicant was not under an obligation to do so, but he had offered the respondent alternative accommodation. The respondent had only his wife and himself.
The applicant said the accommodation in the cottage where he now lived, and which he had bought, was two bedrooms and two living rooms. Witness would let the respondent have the fruit in a cider orchard at the Nag’s Head if the respondent proved his title to it, and he would also let the respondent have accommodation at the Nag’s Head for his pony and trap at 2s. 6d. per week. There were four bedrooms at the Nag’s Head, and he had offered another cottage, but the respondent said he wanted one in Newent.
By Mr. Martin : The reason he wanted the house now was not because he wished to be there in time to have the fruit. He did not know that Mrs. Bennett was ill.
Mr. Martin urged legal reasons why the application should not be granted, and submitted that under all the circumstances it was not reasonable that Bennett, who had worked up business the house, and had expectations which, owing to refusal of the renewal of the licence, would not be realised should he have to get out immediately. He was willing to go out the applicant would wait two or three months and he could get other suitable accommodation. The cottage offered was not suitable for the respondent’s wife in her present state of health. He contended that the applicant was not entitled to the fruit.
Respondent, in the witness box, said he was willing to go out if he could get a suitable place. Cross-examined: The doctor had told him that his wife, for her health’s sake, must leave the district altogether. He had notice from the former owners, the brewers, in March. The magistrates granted tbe application, but suspended the order for 28 days.
Landlords at the Nags Head include:
1888 (January) ‘Transfer of the licence from James Phelps to Daniel Simmons’
1891 David Simmons
1903 Moses Simmons
1911 George Hale
- Joseph Bennett