Sir W.H. Marling was the owner of the Rising Sun in 1891 and 1903. He ran the pub as a free house. The Rising Sun had an annual rateable value of £12.17s.6d. in 1891 and 1903 and was a licensed beer house, closing each night at 10 pm.
An ‘eating out’ review in the ‘Forester’ newspaper in May 2008 began with this appraisal, ‘If you are looking for a traditional pub with great, hearty home-cooked food you need look no further. The Rising Sun is a friendly, family pub with a large beer garden for summer and a roaring fire in winter.’ The review continued, “My family and I have been going to the Rising Sun for years and are among the large number of locals who keep coming back for more. Simplicity is the secret to the pub’s success. The food is homemade the prices reasonable and the service is fast. The pub is also renowned for its real ales and has been featured in the Good Beer Guide for the last 25 years. Phil and Von Brockwell celebrated their 30th anniversary in charge of the Rising Sun this year and their continued success is down to their appeal to local people and visitors alike. The pub is particularly busy in the summer where its large beer garden and views over the Forest are a real draw.”
Phil and Von Brockwell retired from the pub trade in 2010. The Rising Sun was taken over by John Isaacs and Maria Young. In January 2013 a follow-up ‘eating out’ review in the ‘Forester’ note that ‘This Wooolaston pub doesn’t try to be a fancy gastro-pub or restaurant – it does what it says so on the tin. And in doing so, it makes it one of the nicest places to spend an evening – especially if you sample some of their home-made food. The Rising Sun is how I imagine a village pub to be – the ceilings are low, the stone walls are left untouched, the furniture is traditional and the fire is roaring in the corner.’
Like Phil and Von, John and Maria have a simple philosophy. They serve home-made fare and a good selection of real ales. The reviewer in January 2013 noted that along with the traditional ales and food, John and Maria also do something else which is often overlooked – exceptional customer service. Another ‘eating out’ review in February 2014 concluded with ‘This isn’t a pub I would necessarily visit for a romantic candle-lit dinner or for an anniversary meal but, on a Saturday evening after a good dog walk, when you want to sit by the fire and have something tasty with a few real ales, there aren’t many better places.’
Landlords at the Rising Sun include:
1876 John Davies (described as a beer retailer, the Common – no mention of pub name)
1891,1892 John Davis
1892 John Davis
1903 Ephraim Biddle
1939 Miss Mary Biddle
1978-2010 Phil and Von Brockwell
2010,2014 John and Maria Isaacs
