The Ram Inn is an ancient hostelry with a history that can be traced back to late in the 17th century. Records show that before 1750 the premises was known as the Pen in Hand. In the Victorian era it was a tied house of George Playne & Sons, Forwood Brewery but had passed to Stroud Brewery ownership when the local brewery was taken over in 1897.
The Minchinhampton Womens Institute recalled an amusing story about the Ram Inn in their 1957 book ‘The Story of Minchinhampton’ : “A hundred years ago or so the wife of the landlord put up a performing bear and its owner at the pub whilst he was away. When the landlord returned late at night he walked straight into the bear which hugged him. He shouted to his wife ‘Sally, Sally, the devils got me!”….. “Nao, nao”, she replied.. “its only a bur!”
I was contacted by John Rogers in January 2008 who told me that the Ram ceased trading as a pub in the late 1960’s and became the social club for the recently formed Minchinhampton Rugby Football Club. John said that “it still effectively operated as a pub with limited opening hours – they didn’t have much of a membership policy!”
It was converted into a restaurant in the 1990’s. recently offering Bed and Breakfast but the old Ram Inn is now residential. It is included on the ‘Inns of the Cotswolds Map’ published by John Bartholomew & Sons in the mid 1970’s and compiled by K.C. Jordan.
Map Reference: SO 873007
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: George Playne, Forwood Brewery, Minchinhampton
Rateable value in 1891: £7.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse
Owner in 1903: Stroud Brewery
Rateable value in 1903: £7.10s.0d.
Type of licence in 1903: Full
Closing time in 1903: 10pm
Landlords at the Ram Inn include:
1842 Thomas Hill
1863 Soloman Hill
1874,1885 Isaac Hill
1891 Charles Hillier
1902 Mrs Mary Hillier
1903,1906 Charles Keen
1919 Henry Ralph Browning
1927 Edwin Jones
1939 Arthur L. Woolford
1969 Edwin Holford (Margaret Rose Holford died suddenly in Jan 1971, aged 54)
