When last orders were called on Northwich pubs

WE are starting with the Goldsmith Arms that was on the junction of Applemarket Street and Crown Street at the end of the Market Hall.

The Goldsmith Arms

It was opened in 1792 with William Deakin as the landlord, seven years later it became the first pub in Northwich for Greenall’s Brewery, St Helens, and remained as their only tied house until 1865.

The pub was demolished in 1875 and rebuilt in 1876/7. The impressive building in the photo was the new pub, and the adjoining Market Hall was built at the same time.

A favourite of the Irish community the large pub hid the small public areas, with just a parlour and tap-room for drinking. It closed in 1955, and the full licence was transferred to the Waterman’s Arms.

The Turks Head

A look now at another three pubs in the area, firstly a small one called the Turks Head peeping out into the Bullring, in those early days the address was High Street, in this case, 10 High Street. It opened in 1773.

Unlike the Goldsmith Arms, it was internally far bigger than it looked, Originally it brewed its own beer, had a taproom and parlour, the cellar was below the level of the river, and it had stabling for six horses.

It closed in 1906, and its full licence was transferred to The Locomotive pub in Manchester Road. The name Turks Head is believed to be taken from the turks-head knot in a sailors rope with that name.

The Vine Tavern

Still, on the edge of the Bullring, we have The Vine Tavern with the address 11 High Street.

An estate agent now occupies the site. It opened as The Roebuck in 1776, and in 1833 it had a change of name to The Vine Tavern. One of Northwich’s largest pubs with many public rooms including a large Club Room that was used by the clubs and organisations in the town for meetings.

Hanging at the front was a bunch of grapes carved from stone giving it the nickname The Grapes in the late 1800s. The pub closed in 1921 when Alfred Oakes was the last tenant. The building was sold to Northwich Urban District Council and demolished.

An advert from the early 1900s

Across the Town Bridge and just around the corner, we find a large iconic pub called The Sportsman at number 7 Castle Street. It was opened in 1776 as the New Eagle and Child. In 1821 it was renamed The Sportsman; it was a large building initially stretching down to the river and suffered from subsidence.

In 1885 after a successful application, the licence transferred to a building to be built upon and alongside the original. This was done in the same year using the methods incorporated to prevent or easily adjust further subsidence.

This large purpose-built pub had on the ground floor the following; a bar and bar parlour, a snug and as you entered, there was a tap-room and market room.

The Sportsman in the 1950s

On the first floor, there was a large tearoom and another larger clubroom, on the second floor, three bedrooms for visitors. Outside there was stabling for 16 horses and a coach house. The pub closed in 1976 but was then left unattended, by 1988 it was derelict and set on fire, it was demolished soon after.

The Sportsman awaiting demolition

The pubs featured in this small series do not include very short-lived ones and the small beer houses.

If you are interested in local history Paul has a Facebook Group called Mid Cheshire Through Time.