In the 1903 licensing book of Gloucestershire alehouses and beer houses the Rising Sun was tied to the Monmouth Brewery – one of only two pubs in the county tied to the Welsh Brewery. In 1898 the Monmouth Brewery, located in the towns St Mary Street, was under the ownership of Searle & Co. The brewery owned by Vincent & Co. in 1901, H.Tippins in 1920 and Harry W. Rowland in 1923.
It seems that the Monmouth Brewery purchased the Rising Sun from the previous owner Margaret Young who in 1891 ran the ale house free of brewery tie. The Rising Sun had an annual rateable value of £14.0s.0d. and closed at 10 pm in 1903.
Monmouthshire Beacon, Saturday 14th July 1866 – Seasonable Entertainment: On Friday evening an entertainment was given in a meadow, near the Rising Sun, Five Acres, Coleford, for the benefit of Mr Pullen, landlord of the inn. Refreshments were provided on the ground. The Coleford brass band was in attendance, and played a selection of dance and other music. The amusements consisted of dancing, Aunt Sally, etc. The attendance was not so large as had been expected, owing to the fact that sufficient publicity had not been given.
Gloucestershire Echo, Saturday 22nd September 1900 – Fatal accident to a waggoner near Coleford: On Thursday evening, about 7 o’clock, a wagoner named Benjamin Gammond, who resides at Worrall Hill, near Lydbrook, and is in the employ of Mr Walter Perry, Lydbrook, near Coleford, met with an accident which unfortunately proved of fatal termination. Gammond, from what can be gathered, was sent to Broadstone, near Staunton, with a horse and wagon to fetch a load of hay, and all went well on the return journey until the Rising Sun, Five Acres, was reached, when the unfortunate man, who was riding of the shafts of the wagon, was seen to fall to the ground and the wheel of the wagon passed over the upper portion of his body. Assistance was promptly rendered, and the man was removed to the Rising Sun Inn, and Doctor Trotter, of Coleford, was speedily summoned. On the arrival of the last-named gentleman life was pronounced to be extinct. The Coroner has been communicated with, and an inquest will be held.
Western Mail, Thursday 25th February 1915 – Five Acres Licensee Fined: Ernest Byett, landlord of the Rising Sun Inn, Five Acres, was summoned at Coleford police-courts for permitting drunkeness on his licensed premises on Sunday, January 31st. Police constable Lee said he went to the house at 9.20pm., and saw two men named Pullen and Lye, there. They were both drunk. The Bench considered the case proved, and fined defendant £2 and 14s. costs.
Gloucester Citizen, Thursday 29th October 1925 – Innkeeper’s Death at Five Acres: Mr M.F. Carter, Divisional Coroner, conducted an inquiry on Wednesday into the death of Ernest Alfred Byett (49), licensee of the Rising Sun, Five Acres, and also employed as a collier at Cannop Colliery, whose death occured on Sunday. George Sollars, of Hillersland, said deceased was a buttyman working with witness at Cannpop Colliery. About eight weeks ago, a piece of rock, about a foot square and weighing 7 or 8lbs., fell upon deceased, who was at that time in a stooping position working at the coal. Frances Elizabeth Byett, the widow, said her husband had been the licensee of the Rising Sun at Five Acres for nearly 14 years. Until the last few weeks he had not been attended by a doctor. Once when deceased returned home from work, and as he was about to wash, witness noticed a quantity of blood on the top of his head. Witness inquired what was the matter, and deceased replied that he had had a “smack” on his head. The Coroner said upon the evidence which had been given that the deceased died from celebral hemorrage.
In more recent years (1970’s & 80’s) the pub sold beer from Allied Breweries and the signage indicated that Ansells Ales from Birmingham were available.
Forest of Dean & Ross-on-Wye Pubs. A critical guide by Jon Hurley (booklet, 1991): This totally renewed old pub is now all bare stone, beams, blazing logs and Lasagne, a distant cry from what it was not too long ago. Now seated by knobbly legged tables punters can comfortably sip their excellent Burton’s ales and peruse the menu. Plonk is available by the glass and the only intrusive noise is the tedious banalities of Radio One Jock Simon Bates whose juvenile smuttiness, alas, could not be ignored. There is another slightly more basic bar with a dart board.
In February 1997 it had a change of identity as the Gamekeepers Inn, of which it is still known today. At the time of re-opening the menu included such exotic dishes as kangaroo and wild boar.
In March 1998 a fire broke out at the Gamekeepers Inn caused by an electrical fault in the central heating system. The fire gutted the kitchen and lounge bar. Licensee Lawrence Brown, his wife, three children and two dogs were led to safety through a bedroom window. It opened again on July 24th 1998 after a massive refurbishment and redecoration inside and out. In 2000 Lawrence’s luck changed. He placed a 50 pence combination trifecta bet on the first three horses to pass the finishing post at the Grand National and won £9,000. Bad luck, however, returned on the morning of Saturday 20th October 2001 when the pub was deluged with rain water from flash flooding.
Landlords at the Rising Sun / Gamekeepers Inn include:
1861 John Williams
1870 Margaret Ashby
1871, 1879 James Young
1885 John Brown
1889,1891 Benjamin Young.
1891 Margaret Young
1898 Edmund Brain (licence removed and fined 7s.6d. for being found drunk on the premises on the 1st March 1898)
1902 – 1910 James Cooper
1912 ‘Temporary transfer of the license of the Rising Sun at Five Acres from James Cooper to Alf Hyett’
1919 Ernest Byatt (died Oct 1925)
1927 Mrs E. Byatt – married Mr Aston
1939 Mrs E. Aston stayed at the Rising Sun until 1952
1952-1981 Ivor Cox
1981 John Yates
1986 Chris and Maureen Storey
1998,2001 Lawrence and Clare Brown
