From brewers to blacksmiths: The history of The Bell Inn

In the words of its historian, Melville T H Child, who was writing just over 60 years ago, 'it has no castle ruins, no abbey grounds, no great mansion [and] was the seat of no great family'.

Until 1866, it could not even claim to be a parish in its own right, but was part of Amport, with its church being a chapelry of that village.

The Bell Inn, Appleshaw, during the 1930s. (Image: Supplied)

For hundreds of years, it was from Amport that a succession of curates was sent to administer the spiritual life of the village.

The present church was built in 1830-31, over 30 years before Appleshaw became an ecclesiastical parish in its own right, which explains its 'frail and unremarkable' appearance.

Nevertheless, it was and remains a pleasant village, a typical Hampshire settlement which the motor car regularly invades but does not dominate entirely.

The hamlet of Ragged Appleshaw lies half a mile to the east and Redenham is the same distance north-west.

There is also nearby Tilly Down, that some say is a corruption of Chilly Down.

In the 19th century, Appleshaw had three pubs – The Cleaver, The Bell and The Iron Pear Tree.

The Cleaver was the first to go, around 1914, then the Iron Pear Tree became a private house in the 1970s; The Bell continued to 'chime' until about 1974 when it was renamed The Walnut Tree, its doors still well and truly open today.

Melville Child tells us that there were 'one or two well-built and noble Georgian and Victorian houses, and a number of brick and flint cottages of eighteenth century date'.

Evidently, he thought there was nothing older than that and so it seems The Bell is 18th century.

When the Tithe Survey for Appleshaw was carried out in 1839, it belonged to Heath’s Brewery in Andover.

This family of Quakers had first come to Andover in 1771 and Charles Heath Senior built up considerable business interests in banking, farming and brewing.

The brewery was at the bottom of London Street in the town and the Heaths owned many pubs in Andover itself, as well as in the nearby local villages.

After Charles Heath’s death in 1810, the various businesses passed to his three sons, Charles, Thomas and William, who each played an integral part during their time.

However, most of the inns had been bought in the earlier period, and a surviving accounts book which dates from 1783 reveals that The Bell in Appleshaw became part of the Heath inventory of licensed houses in 1789.

When everything was sold up in 1847, the inn was still in possession of the Heaths but whether Charles Heath had in 1783 bought a pre-existing hostelry or it was originally a private dwelling for which he obtained a licence is not known.

The 1847 sales catalogue in which the particulars of 29 inns and public houses are described includes one of The Bell as it was at the time: 'Brick and flint-built, with tile roof, containing on the upper storey, large sleeping-room and five others; Ground floor: Tap-room, two bars, kitchen and pantry; Basement: cellars and bed-room and bacon loft over.

'A paved yard in the rear, with spring well and drawing apparatus, an excellent brick, chalk and slated stable for ten horses, and two others for twelve horses, with one loft [and] a large kitchen garden walled in.'

At the time of the sale, the innkeeper was Charles Dobson, who is listed as a publican in the 1841 census but it is difficult to go back any farther with any certainty.

After The Bell was sold in 1847, his place was taken by Henry Butler, while Dobson became the Appleshaw postmaster.

The role of innkeeper could easily be a full-time role in the days when licensing hours were largely unregulated and opening hours were generally kept by local custom.

At the same time, Henry Butler was also listed as the local carrier; in 1859, he was apparently going to Andover and back on Fridays and to Southampton and back on Mondays.

However, the 1851 census shows that the actual carrier was 54-year-old Samuel Stare who also lived at The Bell, likely employed by the innkeeper to operate the carrier business.

By 1871, William Lewis and his family had moved into The Bell.

Born in Wherwell in 1823, he had spent his life as an agricultural labourer and although we cannot know the circumstances, maybe a less-energetic life as a publican was a welcome option.

His tenure of The Bell lasted until the beginning of 1893 when he was to quit.

An auction was arranged with Frederick Ellen to dispose of all his property, a notice for which was placed in the Andover Advertiser.

However, before the day of the auction, William Lewis was ambushed and killed for his takings.

The two youths who attacked him were tried and gaoled at Winchester and the lane where it happened was later named Lewis Lane as a memorial.

In 1901, 34-year-old James Stacey is recorded as the innkeeper of The Bell.

Probably by this time it was owned by Strong and Co of Romsey.

The brewers under David Faber saw great expansion in the 1890s and increased their holdings considerably.

Stacey was also the village blacksmith and the forge was next door to the inn.

The role of blacksmith was a family one and the inn’s new licensee had earlier worked for his father at the smithy in Thruxton, where he was born.

Recently married, he did not stay in Appleshaw very long before the family moved to Allington where he continued as a jobbing blacksmith.

The next landlord was a gamekeeper in Chawton before he came to Appleshaw.

Frank Goodall married Ellen Whatford in 1897 and they had two girls at Chawton in 1898 and 1899 – Amy and Daisy respectively.

Sometime after 1907, the family moved into The Bell and are recorded in the 1911 census at Appleshaw.

Frank Goodall was to remain the licensee for some 30 years before his death there in 1941.

His daughter Amy, known as Mamie, took over the running of The Bell during the war.

She had lost her mother, her husband and her father over the course of four years and it must have been an onerous task, though she had the help of her married daughter Daisy Trevett, to whom she paid a wage.

However, a sunny and outgoing personality carried Mamie through and she was a popular licensee at a time when the country faced an uncertain future.

Some surviving accounts of the period show that the annual rent to the brewers in 1945 was £8.

Stock purchases amounted to £2,741 for beers, wines and spirits, while cigarettes and biscuits etc. was £780.

After paying all other expenses, including her daughter Daisy Trevett’s wages of £130, as well as some casual help in the bar of £20, Mamie’s net profit for the year was £214.

It seems a small return for a considerable annual outlay.

Soon after the war ended, Mamie Vann gave up the tenancy and a new landlord, Edward (Eddie) May moved in, which is where this account must end.

If you are interested in local history, why not join Andover History and Archaeology Society? Details can be found at andoverlocalhistoryarchaeology.uk.