Talbot Hotel, Market Square, Stow on the Wold

The Talbot Hotel was once tied to Hitchman’s Brewery of Chipping Norton before being acquired by Hunt Edmunds of Banbury. After a few decades of being tied to Bass Charington it was sold to Wadworth of Devizes in 1985.

Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette, Saturday 26th August 1848 – To be sold by auction by Thomas Street at the Talbot Inn, Stow-on-the-Wold, on Thursday next, the 31st August 1848, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon – all that freehold, stone-built, and slated messuage, tenement, or Public House, called “The Butchers Arms”, situate in the Market Place, in Stow-on-the-Wold, comprising a spacious front tap-room, front and large back parlour, one commodious room adapted as a club room, and three other bed rooms, large underground arched cellar, brewhouse, stabling, and other outbuildings, with an upper and lower yard, (to which there is a carriage road entrance), and a spacious walled garden, well planted with fruit trees, and now in the occupation of Mr Henry Jefferies, a yearly tenant. Also a piece of dry, healthy ground, well fenced with a stone wall, belonging to the same, adapted either for a yard or for building stables, piggeries etc. thereon, detached but lying contiguous to the Butchers Arms. The boundary wall on one side divides the piece of land from a public carriage road.

Gloucestershire Chronicle. February 19^th 1870: On the morning of Thursday 10^th February at half past six o’clock a fire of an alarming nature was discovered to have broken out in the dining room of the Talbot Inn. The inmates were aroused by a smothering sensation arising from the smoke and on proceeding to the dining room, where a dinner had been held on a previous night, the inside was found to be in flames. Fortunately Mr Day, the landlord, was able to close the door and give an alarm which was taken up by Mr Akers and in a short time the men from the brewery with Messrs Gillett’s small fire engine were on the spot and also the men from Mr Hollis’s foundry. By this time the fire was seen to be raging in the farther end of the room but water being at hand the engine was almost instantly set to work and the end window frame smashed in. The floor was then to be found to be burnt through and the furniture was dropping into a stable beneath when one of the foundry men named Maisey courageously entered the room through the window with a hose. And though almost suffocated with smoke remained there until the fire was extinguished. It appears almost miraculous how the fire was confined to the end of the room and had it been allowed to spread through adjoining premises it is impossible to say what damage it might have ensued. Messrs Gillett’s engine is very useful and thanks to their kindness it is at everyone’s service in case of fire but would it would be of little use to check a large conflagration. Surely there ought to be an efficient fire engine and brigade in the town. Whether one will be provided now or when half the square has been burnt down remains to be seen.

Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard, Saturday 30th January 1875 – Annual Choir Supper: The members of the Stow-on-the-Wold Choir partook of a capital spread at the Talbot Inn, on Tuesday evening last, Mr James Cox in the chair. A very pleasant evening was spent, but the rector and churchwardens were unable to be present.

Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire – Freehold fully-licenced property with early possession. Messrs Franklin and Jones, in conjunction with Messrs Tuckett & Son, will sell by auction at the Talbot Hotel, Stow-on-the-Wold, on Thursday 23rd February 1899, at 5 o’clock, the important Freehold Fully-Licensed Premises known as THE WINE VAULTS, with the adjoining dwelling house, stabling etc, in the Market Square, extending through to Well Lane, containing about three quarters of an acre.

Hunt Edmunds Brewery of Banbury acquired the business of Hitchman & Co., Chipping Norton

Gloucestershire Echo, 26th March 2002 – Drinkers dig deep: Residents had their fingers on the pulse as they raised £241 to buy heart monitors for a Stow surgery. Proceeds from a coffee morning at the town’s Talbot Hotel, organised by the Friends of Stow Surgery, will help pay for the equipment at Well Lane practice.

Gloucestershire Echo, Wednesday 25th February 2004 – John’s cocktail is all “Wrighty”: A cocktail has been created in honour of the late John Wright. The “Wrighty” was launched by Stow-on-the-Wold’s cocktail drinkers, the Moonday Club, at the Talbot Hotel. Members raised their glasses in a poignant but rousing toast to the ex-Stow Rugby president, Bourton Parish Council vice chairman, who died of leukaemia, aged 65.

Calvados was his favourite tipple so his friend Richard Coyne, ex-Unicorn Hotel general manager, dreamed up a mix of Calvados, mandarin liqueur and fresh apple juice in three equal parts. Talbot Hotel owner George Hope said: “Every time we drink Calvados we think of Wrighty so it’s appropriate we have a special drink for him.

Above – George Hope and Yvonne Doggett launch the cocktail (Gloucestershire Echo – photo Matt Alexander)

Cotswold Journal, 16th August 2007 – Planning row pub pulling pints again: One of Stow-on-the-Wold’s landmark pubs has finally reopened its doors after a planning dispute closed it for eight months. The Talbot Inn in the Market Square applied to Cotswold District Council to install a ventilation grille in the kitchen housed in a large dormer window in December 2006. However, the council refused the grille because it would impact on the historic fabric of the building. Wadworth brewers applied again with a modified ventilation system and the council approved it in March this year. Owner John Boers said: “We have had a lovely start and a lot of people have come and seen what the pub is like.”

Gloucestershire Echo, 14th August 2007 – Historic pub makes a comeback: Landlord Jonny Boers and partner Nicky Skea have relaunched the Talbot in Stow-on-the-Wold on behalf of brewery owner Wadworth and Co.

Nicky said: “It looked like a dark ghostly building. The atmosphere of Stow wasn’t the same without it. We’d like it to be somewhere for locals, as they’re very important to us, as well as tourists. We want a combination of a pub , really good pub food and a restaurant.”

She added: “Downstairs the restaurant can seat 46 people and there’s a snug and bar area. Upstairs will become a mix of seating, lounge and function room.”

Nicky and Jonny tried out a dozen chefs and toured local restaurants before plumping for Francoise Gardillou, former sous-chef at Dormy House, Broadway, and his assistant Rideau Guillaume.