Gloucester Journal. August 1885: The annual feast of the Cranham Friendly Society was held on Monday last. The members met at their club room at the Royal William Inn, at 10 o’clock and headed by the Sheepscombe Brass Band marched through the village to the church where they attended divine service. Returning from the church, members sat down to dinner at the Royal William.
There was once a small brewery at the Royal William. It was established by a Mr William Sadler-Hall at the end of the eighteenth century and was known as the Cranham Brewery. The business was acquired by Godsell & Sons of Salmon Springs in August 1904 for £13,800. The purchase included seven tied houses; the Royal William in Cranham, the Cross Hands in Brockworth and five pubs in Cheltenham (Apple Tree Inn, Russell Street; Crown & Cushion, Bath Road; Five Alls, Bath Road; Gladstone Arms, Sherborne Street and the Sandford Inn in Sandford Street). The Cranham Brewery closed upon takeover. It is believed that the brewery was situated opposite the pub on the site of the present day car park. I have never seen any items relating to Sadler-Hall’s Cranham Brewery. Are there any embossed beer bottles or stone jars in existence?
In 1974 Whitbread published a book called ‘Inn and around’, a guide to 250 favourite Whitbread pubs. At that time the Royal William was a ‘Trophy Tavern’.
The Royal William was part of the Brewers Fayre pub chain. It is now free from tie.
King William, by the way, was King William the Fourth who bated the tax on beer.
This page will be updated with additional information.
Map Reference: SO 880128
Licensing Details:
Owner in 1891: William Sadler Hall, Cranham Brewery (free from brewery tie)
Rateable value in 1891: £17.0s.0d.
Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse / Brewery
Owner in 1903: William Sadler Hall, Cranham Brewery (free from brewery tie)
Rateable value in 1903: Alehouse / Brewery
Type of licence in 1903: £17.0s.0d.
Closing time in 1903:
Landlords at the Royal William include:
1856 W. Hall
1891,1903 William Sadler Hall
1906 Albert Shorney
1919,1927 Thomas William Overs
1939 Mrs S. Vickridge
1968 Tony & Jayne Davies
1974 John & Yvonne Jones
1992 Bob and Julia Montgomery (managers)
2008 Tony Barnfield, Tina and Chris Foster