The original site of the White Horse was on Bradley Hill next to the old tram road. It was licensed as a beer house. When the Severn & Wye Railway Company constructed their Bullo Pill to Cinderford branch, through Upper Soudley, a station to serve the village was built and the White Horse moved to its present location beside the railway to cater for the potential needs of passengers and it changed its licence to an alehouse. The site of the old White Horse on Bradley Hill, became the Comrades Club, allegedly gifted in trust to the ex-sevicemen of the First World War. Comrades Club has been closed for a number of years and there is some dispute about legitimate ownership.
Mary Ann Bowers, landlady of the White Horse Inn in Soudley, was summoned by PC White in November 1883 on a charge of drunkenness and using disgusting language on licensed premises. Mrs Bowers was fined £1 with costs.
William Nash was the owner of the White Horse in 1891 when it was licensed as an alehouse and was free of brewery tie. Twelve years later in 1903 the White Horse had been acquired by the Alton Court Brewery of Ross on Wye. The annual rateable value in 1891 and 1903 was £17.10s.0d. and closing time was at 10 pm.
Part of the car park of the White Horse stands on the trackbed of the railway line that branched off the Gloucester-South Wales main-line at Bullo Bill near Newnham on Severn and threaded its way up the Soudley Valley via Ruspidge to Cinderford. The Forest of Dean branch line had some severe gradients and climbing to Soudley from Bullo Pill there are three tunnels, the longest being Haie Hill Tunnel 1,064 yards in length. The climb was quite arduous for both the locomotive and the footplate crews and, as there were no ventilation shafts in the tunnels, it has been suggested that the crews of goods trains heading up the hill (confusingly referred to in railway terminology as down trains) stopped at Soudley to ‘get up steam’ – a euphemism for a quick visit to the White Horse Inn!
Upper Soudley Halt was open for passengers for just over 50 years. It opened on 3rd August 1907 and closed on 3rd November 1958. The number of passengers using the halt was minimal and when a bus service replaced the railway – providing a quicker and more direct route from Cinderford to Gloucester – there were no protests about the demise of the local train service.
Western Mail, Saturday 17th December 1904 – Alleged stabbling case in the Forest of Dean: At Littledean Court on Friday Samuel Virgo (otherwise known as Pash), a general labourer, was charged with commiting grievous bodily harm to Edward Grail, landlord of the White Horse Inn, Soudley, and to Thomas Bowdler, collier by wounding them with a knife. He was remanded for a week.
See below for a detailed account of this case.
Gloucester Citizen, Wednesday 4th September 1907 – White Horse Hotel, Soudley: Introduction by G.W.R. Co. of RAIL MOTOR SERVICE (Forest of Dean Branch), commencing August 3rd 1907. Upper Soudley Halt close to the Recreation Ground, the Old Roman Road, the Gold Reef, and the Fish Ponds.
The proprietor of the White Horse Hotel begs to inform visitors to the Forest of Dean that he caters for all kinds of Pleasure Parties, with good accommodation, and he would like Holiday-keepers to know that Soudley is an interesting place to bring Children to for outings throughout the Summer months. Teas supplied at 6d. for each person. For large parties the Recreation Ground may be engaged, by arrangement.
H. Baldwin, proprietor.
Gloucester Journal, Saturday April 1930 – Ruspidge man fined, stole chaff and bags at Soudley: Charged with having stolen three bags and a quantity of chaff valued at 7s. 6d. the property of Tom Kirby Worgan, Hawthorn Farm, Coleford, Frederick Grindle, Ruspidge, was fined £2 and costs (£2 9s.6d.) in default, 28 days’ imprisonment, at Littledean Petty Sessions yesterday.
Mr Worgan said he stabled four horses the White Horse Hotel, Soudley, and on March 30th he mixed about a sack and a half of chaff ready for the animals the next morning. Some of the chaff and three bags were missed the following morning.
Thomas Bevan, Soudley, said he was standing near the stables of the White Horse Hotel on the evening of March 30th and he saw the man, whom he afterwards recognised Grindle, dart up the passage. Grindle was carrying a sack bag which apparently contained something. Percy Wilce, licensee the White Horse Hotel, said Grindle came to the hotel about 9.15 p.m. on March 30th. Later he saw Grindle going up the passage of the hotel, and when he looked into his (Grindles) trap shortly afterwards he saw a bag of chaff, witness told Grindle he should report the matter to Jr. Worgan. C F. Weekes said he found quantity of chaff and three sack bags at Grindle’s premises.
Grindle who pleaded guilty and elected to be dealt with summarily, was allowed a week in which to pay the fine.
Western Daily Press, Friday 24th April 1931 – Retired Dean Forest Licensee’s Death: Mr Henry Richard Baldwin (68), residing at Station Road, Blakeney, died suddenly. Mr Baldwin was for a generation a licensed victualler in the Forest of Dean. For nearly 20 years he conducted the New Inn at Ruspidge, and later for a few years was licensee at the White Horse at Soudley, before he moved to the Kings Head Hotel at Blakeney, and ten years later he retired from the trade.
Gloucester Journal, Saturday 28th November 1936 – Soudley Skittles Club Dinner: A large company spent a very enjoyable time at the annual dinner and social evening of the Soudley Skittle Club, which was held their headquarters, the White Horse Hotel.
Mr. A. Hull presided, supported by the Rev. T. Haines, Rev. Summerville, Mr. S. Parry, W. Cawton, Mr. I. Adams, Mr. Wellington and Mr. S. Beach. The toast of the “The King” having been loyally honoured at the call of the Rev. T. Haines, Mr. Hull submitted the toast of “The Club,” the secretary replying. An apology read from Mr. W. K. Oakey, president of the Forest Skittle League. After dinner, the company was entertained with a programme of songs and monologues, those contributing being Messrs. W. Buck, T. Bowdler, A. Jones, V. Yemm, Rev. T. Haines and others. Mr. Drew was the accompanist.
Dean Forest Mercury – 27th September 1974 – Review of Forest skittle alleys by “W.D.A.”: ‘Another skittle alley I visited towards the end of the season was at the White Horse in Soudley and I was surprised at the change that has taken place.
The alley is as good, if not better than any in the Forest League, with facilities second to none – maybe we shall see a final of some competition played there in the near future. The home team have not done so well this well finishing bottom of Division 4, and with the team spirit that exists at Soudley I am sure that they could have a good season in Division 5 -maybe the grass will be a little greener down there.’
Gloucester Citizen, 20th January 1984 – Pub helped homeless family: The White Horse Inn, Soudley, has been a rallying centre for help for a nearby Bradley Hill family, rendered homeless by a fire.
Mr Kevin Williams, his wife Diane, and their three sons (ages one, two and six years) lost their home at the Railway Bungalow, Bradley Hill, near Blakeney, and their Collie dog, when fire swept through the wooden bungalow during their absence on 4th January.
“The way people have rallied round is magnificent”, said the White Horse licensee, Mr Sydney Rendell, whose wife Gloria has been much involved in organising help. Mr Rendell said that the White Horse, aware that the family’s three children had lost all their Christmas presents in the fire, together with their pet dog, thought it would be nice if a collection were organised to replace some of the toys. “Obviously we could not replace everything, but we had a whip round with our customers and collected £55 to buy the children some toys. We only had the collection for three nights, and I think it was a magnificent response.”
Gloucester Citizen, 14th August 1987 – Soudley Truck Pull: The White Horse Pub team start their attempt to haul a 7-ton lorry around the village.
Gloucester Citizen, 16th December 1988: O.A.P. Party at Soudley: A committee had been working all the year at the White Horse Hotel to give the old age pensioners of Soudley and district a Christmas party. This was held on Tuesday, 6th December at the White Horse Hotel, when about 40 pensioners had a lovely party, which also included free drinks and a gift of £10 per person. People who were unable to go each received their £10 gift with a Christmas greeting from the Committee all signed by chairman Gary, Ruby, Kim, Alan, Jack, Jose.
The chairman Gary Grindle thanked all who attended and hoped they had enjoyed the meal. Mr W. Bowdler, the oldest pensioner, presented a bouquet to Pauline, the landlady, and for Alan, a bottle of Bacardi, for the work they had done.
The afternoon was completed by music supplied by Mr and Mrs Hargar who played the piano and banjo, all the old songs being sung by the company. A delightful afternoon was brought to a close by mince pies.
Above: Richard and Janet Warford at the White Horse Inn. April 2008.
The Citizen, Thursday 21st July 1988 – Landlord’s early drinks session: Police found men drinking before opening hours at a Forest of Dean pub, magistrates at Coleford heard yesterday. The men had been served with drinks by Alan Heaton, landlord of the White Horse, Soudley. He was fined a total of £350 after admitting four offences of selling liquor out of hours and aiding and abetting customers to drink outside permitted hours.
The four men all admitted the offence and were each fined £30 for drinking out of hours. Mr Christopher Stock, prosecuting, said on Sunday 22nd May police kept observations on the White Horse at 11.30am/ They saw several people go in the pub through the side door. In the pub they found 16 people, several with glasses in front of them. Alan Heaton said they had been having meetings about doing a lorry push around the village. One man asked for a drink and he served him Then the others asked him. “It was silly and I am sorry,” he said.
The Forester, 16th August 1991 – Village’s DIY plan to save its ‘heart’: What can a village do when its post office and general store have gone and yet another heartbeat of community life – the pub – is under threat? The answer, according to one group of forest of Dean villagers is to apply some “do-it-yourself” principles to these vital services.
That’s what they are trying to do at Soudley, where the post office and store closed four years ago and the White Horse pub is now up for sale. A public meeting is being held on 13th September to find out how many of the 600 villagers are prepared to run all three services themselves in one building. A group called Soudley Action Group is calling the meeting. It is hoping that Whitbread’s, the owners of the pub, will help get the scheme off the ground.
Parish council chairman Simon Brown said this week that it is a possibility that if the pub is sold to a private buyer it will be closed down. If that happens, he said, the village will have completely lost its “heart” and could deteriorate into a dormitory. “Our idea is to combine the pub, post office and store in the old building, thus reducing overheads,” he said. “There is still a long way to go, but we feel that this is an opportunity we must grasp. Otherwise community spirit in the village is in danger of dying.”
The action group believes that once the future of the pub is secured a trust can be set up to run it in tandem with the other services, with the help of a manager. The Soudley project is being watched by organisations which in recent years have been become deeply concerned at a growing threat to rural life, in which shops and pubs are important services and symbols. If it can be carried out successfully, it could be an inspiration to dozens of villages in which these institutions are under threat or have already had to close.
In September 1991 there were concerns that the White Horse might face closure as Whitbread were intending to dispose of the pub as part of the Monopolies & Mergers Commission ruling to restrict the number of pubs that large breweries could own. The local community, fearing the worse, set up the Soudley Action Project in to save the pub from closure, and preserve the heart of village life. It was intended to run the pub and set up a community-run post office within the premises. However, when a cash bid was submitted for the pub Whitbread turned down the offer flat which prompted the Soudley Action Group to claim that Whitbread were deliberately scuppering their plans and stalling the negotiation process.
In September 1998 the White Horse was put up for sale a going concern. It was described as a Freehold detached Public House with ‘living accommodation, occupying a prominent central position and being the only public house in the village. Public bar, lounge / dining room, pool room, skittle alley, kitchen with range of appliances, cellar etc. Four bedroomed living accommodation to first floor. Spacious car park.’
The pub sign iron bracket is of significance to those interested in local brewery history as it houses the fortified castle tower emblem of the defunct West Country Breweries. These distinctive pub sign brackets are slowly disappearing from the front gardens and forecourts of our local inns. Only in recent years similar ironwork pub signs in the Forest of Dean have been lost at the Keys pub in Bream, Belfry (ex George Hotel) in Littledean and the Yew Tree in Longhope.
Above photographs: The acclaimed Shropshire Bedlams Border Morris and Martha Rodens were guests at the Forest of Dean Morris Family weekend in June 2025 which is based every year at Soudley Village Hall.
Landlords of the White Horse include:
1883 Mary Ann Bowers
1885 Miss Maria Lander
1891 Thomas Matthews
1902,1903 William Thomas
1904,1906 Edward Grail
1907 Henry Richard Baldwin
1912 ‘from Thomas James Mason to Stephen Beard’
1912,1927 Stephen Beard
1939 Percy Wilce
1971 Cliff and Jean Sharpley
1984 Sydney nd Gloria Rendell
1988 Alan Heaton
2005 Richard and Janet Warford
2014 – present day. Mike and Suzanne Harvey
Gloucester Citizen, Saturday 14th January 1905 – The alleged stabbing affray at Soudley, Accused commited for trail: At Littledean Petty Sessions on Friday, Samuel Virgo, labourer, of Soudley, was brought up in custody charged on remand with stabbing Edward Grail, landlord the White Horse Inn, Soudley, and Thomas Bowdler, collier, of the same place, with a knife, on the night of December 13th.
Mr. Godfrey Mawr (of the Lawford’s Gate Licensed Victuallers’ Association) attended in the interests the injured landlord, and Mr. Herbert Williams (Monmouth) defended.
The case had been adjourned from week to week, because the prosecutors, who had been removed to Gloucester Infirmary, were not fit to attend the Court earlier. Bowdler, whose head was much bandaged, looked ill. The cases were taken separately, and all witnesses were ordered out of Court.
Edward Grail, who walked with the aid of a staff, and was accommodated with a seat, deposed he was licensee of tile White Horse, Soudley, and had been there about year. He knew prisoner as an occasional customer. He was at the house the 13th December. He came in about 5.30 p.m. He was sober, and a pint of ale was drawn him. Later on asked for more drink, but as he only tendered one and a half pennies, witness refused to supply him.
Prisoner then wanted to step-dance a butcher who was there for a pint, but witness objected. Meanwhile witness put the penny and a half aside and went in to tea. Prisoner was eating food, using a pruning knife similar to that produced. Five minutes later prisoner came to witness, and having spoken about his penny and a half, challenged witness to fight. Witness requested him to leave, and accompanied him to the front door, and when he was outside witness shut him out. Witness went back to tea, and later on, as the result of what witness heard, he went outside and found Bowdler in a stooping position. Witness asked him come inside and have nothing to do with the prisoner. At that prisoner caught witness by the left leg, and he immediately felt that his leg was cut under the thigh, and called for assistance and swooned. He remembered walking into the house and lying on the sofa. Witness felt a second cut under the knee. Afterwards the police and the doctor came, and that night witness was taken to the Infirmary at Gloucester, where he remained until December 28th, and was still in the care of his own doctor.
Cross-examined: Prisoner did not come to the house as early as 3 o’clock. It must have been after 5 o’clock. Witness did not put the one and half pennies in the till, out merely put it out of the reach of the public. Prisoner had worked for witness, helping serve customers on Saturday nights. Up till that night his conduct had been good. Witness denied that the prisoner was made a laughing-stock and played the fool with. The customers sometimes got prisoner to jig, with a sweeping broom for a partner. Prisoner was his own accompanist, playing a tune on his teeth with his fingers. (laughter)
Witness denied having asked prisoner to jig that evening. So far as witness knew prisoner only had one pint of beer at the house that afternoon. Witness and Bowdler, with a packman named Johnson, were playing rings that evening for half an hour. Five or six quarts of beer were brought in whilst the game was on. Prisoner might have had a share of these quarts. It was not true that as witness followed prisoner along the passage he struck him in the ear, knocking him down; he never struck him at all from first to last. Witness had heard that a man named Waite kicked prisoner in the chest. did not know that another man named Bevan also pitched into prisoner.
Thomas Bowdler deposed that prisoner came into the house after witness, who went there about 5 o’clock. Witness left 7.20 p.m., prisoner having gone out earlier. When witness went out he saw prisoner standing on the corner, and heard him say, “I’ll wait for the —–.” Witness advised him to come on home with witness, instead of which prisoner grabbed hold of witness. Then the landlord came out. and witness returned to the inn.
Cross-examined, witness admitted having struck prisoner, but not until prisoner had first hit him.
Alfred Bevan, collier, Ruspidge, deposed after prisoner had left he went outside, and saw prisoner, Bowdler, and Grail struggling together. Prisoner was crawling about on his hands and knees, and got between witness’s legs. Witness got free, and prisoner made for the landlord, seizing his legs, and fell, crying “Oh dear, dear.” “Waite kicked Virgo in the head to make him loose, and the landlord then went into the house. Witness saw prisoner put a knife into his pocket; it was similar to that produced.
Cross-examined: The landlord pushed prisoner in front of him along the passage, and out of the house. All witness knew about the one and half pennies was that the ” girl ” refused to draw prisoner a pint for penny and a half. Prisoner was drinking with any who invited him. Prisoner was not sober, and he was not drunk. Witness was sober, had been drinking ” pop ” that night. Witness saw Virgo and Bowdler fighting for a few minutes.
Hubert Waite, collier, Soudley, deposed to hearing noise after prisoner and Bowdler had left, and on going outside witness found them struggling on the ground. The landlord came out, and Bowdler was got into the inn. When the landlord cried out, someone said “he has used his knife.” Asked what he then did, witness replied, “I put my shoe into him, and let the landlord go.
Cross-examined: Witness had only been in the house 20 minutes when the row occurred. Only witness pitched into prisoner to make him loose.
P.C. Ryland deposed to receiving information of the disturbance, and that he reached the house, with P.C. Reed, at 8.30. The landlord was suffering from wounds in the left thigh, while Bowdler was cut in the left cheek. Witness found prisoner asleep in bed in his lodgings at his sister’s at the railway crossing. On telling prisoner his prisoner replied “I had seven or eight into me, so I pulled my knife out; I would have killed the ….” Witness searched the prisoner’s clothing, and said “You won’t find the knife, I have hid that one.” In the light of prisoner’s allegations that seven or eight men were about witness examined prisoner, and found a graze upon the left cheek, a small swelling on the top of the head, two scratches on the right side of the neck, and a bruise on the breast. Prisoner showed witness where had secreted the knife. They found it in a drain on the railway close by.
At Cinderford Police-station witness charged and cautioned prisoner, when he said “I won’t be beaten by them, so I pulled my knife out and used it. You can put me off for 14 years if you like. I’ll carry it out when I come back.”
Witness added that at seven o’clock evening, which was prior to the row, he visited the inn, and found all sober and quiet. Cross-examined: Witness knew nothing against prisoner, whose clothing was dirty and torn.
By the Chairman: Prisoner was sober, but excited when apprehended. Witness thought must have had a rough time.
Dr. Campbell, assistant to Dr. Macartney, Cinderford, deposed to seeing Grail at home on the evening in question. On the left leg was an incised wound at the fold of the buttock. It was inches long, and was little consequence. It was not deep. On the same leg, on the outer side just below the knee, was another wound, which was still bleeding. Witness feared that some important structure had been cut, and he advised his removal Gloucester Infirmary, and this was done. Such a knife as that produced would very probably cause the wounds. Grail was still in witness’s care. This closed the evidence Grail’s case.
Prisoner pleaded not gullity, and reserved his defence and witnesses. He was committed for trial at the next Assizes. Bowdler’s case was next heard. Dr. Campbell stated that Bowdler’s injuries consisted a large, deep incised wound on the left cheek, about two and a half inches long, extending down the cheek the upper lip. It was one and a half inches deep. There would have been considerable bleeding but for the first aid rendered by compressing the cheek. Witness stitched and dressed the wound, and sent the patient the hospital. The wound was dangerous. Considerable force must have been used to inflict it. Witness said that Mrs. Alex Hull used great skill in dealing with the injury, preventing the free bleeding the wound.
Bowdler next gave evidence his own behalf, saying that prisoner had left few minutes before he (Bowdler) started home. When witness got outside prisoner was still there, and witness twice urged him to come on home with witness, but declined, and began “gabbling” at witness, and then came at him and there was a struggle. Then the landlord came out, and witness went from prisoner into the house, and he then found blood streaming from his face. He was not aware that he had been stabbed until he got into the house.
Witness produced the coat he was wearing at the time. It was cut through in several places. Cross-examined: The first intimation he had of his own injuries was given him a man named Drew, who told him he had been stabbed in the face, and then saw it in the glass.. Witness never saw the knife in prisoner’s hand. Edward Grail corroborated.
Frederick Drew, Ayleford, collier, deposed that prisoner challenged witness to a “step” for a pint. Witness heard the incident about the one and a half pennies, and because prisoner could not recover it challenged the landlord to fight, and was then ejected. Witness saw Bowdler and the prisoner leave, and was present when Bowdler returned with terrible stab in the face. Witness went out and saw prisoner, and told him what he had done.
Prisoner was committed for trial on this charge also. The Court fixed bail in two sureties of £50.