Royal Oak, Bibstone, Cromhall

The Royal Oak is located at Bibstone an area in Cromhall.

Part of the Royal Oak dates back to the 14^th century and a date on a fireplace says 1674. The modern extension has obscured most of the original building.

The cellar was used for cart building by the Cornock family who were carters as well as landlords. The story goes that after one cart had been built, it had to be dismantled to remove it!

The glass covered well features in the bar area and has fresh spring water flowing through it.

In 2022 the Royal Oak was voted Dursley & District CAMRA Pub of the Year.

---

---

---

---

---

The Citizen: Thursday, November 30^th, 1989: Bucket of best, please – An ancient right to draw water from an historic well was exercised recently – in the centre of a newly refurbished pub. The 45 ft deep Cromhall well was discovered while work was in progress at the Royal Oak in Wotton-under-Edge (sic)  and has now been made an attractive feature of the lounge bar. So licensees Bob & Cathy Harris may well find locals dropping in for the odd bucket of water as well as the odd pint as part of a medieval right given to villagers. It is believed the last time the well was in active use was during the Second World War. The refurbishment and expansion at the Royal Oak had cost £250,000 and Whitbread West Country has worked in conjunction with English Heritage to preserve many old features including some 17^th century roof timbers.

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Dursley & District Sub-branch of CAMRA, report: November 2023: The Royal Oak in Cromhall has been forced to close its kitchen completely because of the impossibility of finding a chef to take it on, and has thus become a wet sales pub only. This is a sad development in what was, only two years ago, our sub-branch Pub of the Year.

---

Licensing Records:

Owner in 1891: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery

Rateable Value in 1891: £9.12s.0d.

Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse

Owner in 1903: Arnold Perrett & Co. Ltd., Wickwar Brewery

Rateable Value in 1903: £19.5s.0d.

Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse

Closing time in 1903: 10pm

---

Landlords at the Royal Oak include:

1856 J. Phillimore

1885,1891 George Andrews

1902 Robert Tarvin

1903 Henry Ernest Herniman

1906 Theda Parfitt (Mrs)

1919,1939 William Henry Cornock

1971 – ? Dougie Bowden

1989 Bob & Cathy Harris

1999 Paul and Jane Rees

2001 Allan and Sue Hamilton

Cath and Andy Ross

---