The Recruiting Sergeant Inn was located at the bottom of the hill on the road junction near the River Wye. It stood in the shadow of the impressive Lydbrook Railway Viaduct.
Charles Neate was the owner and occupier of the Recruiting Sergeant in 1891. It was an ale house, free from brewery tie, with an annual rateable value of £17.0s.0d.
The Recruiting Sergeant had already closed when the 1903 book of licensed premises in Gloucestershire (petty sessional records) was published. The late Ray Allen told me that the renewal of the licence was refused by magistrates because of repeated bad behaviour at the inn, although I have seen no documents to substantiate this.
After the pub closed the property was divided into two and a shop (Viaduct Stores) operated from the premises.
Landlords of the Recruiting Sergeant Inn include:
1836 William Morris (William died in 1836 and left the inn to his wife)
1837 Susannah Morris (widow)
1870 Mrs Mary Ann Hay
1876 Stephen Baker
1885,1891 Charles Neate
