The Griffin Inn

[O.C.]

Just over 3 miles from Coleshill is a cracking little Pub the Griffin Inn at Shustoke
My local and has been for the last 20 years Mike the Gaffer has been their for about 27 years …completely unspoiled and the only change over the years I have seen is the three open log fires have been replaced by installing log burners in the fireplaces which has worked out well….always 5 or 6 guest beers on tap, home made wines and fresh eggs to purchase……and the food that is served is far better than you average pub grub with quite large portions
At the back of the pub a nice conservatory has been added plus outdoor seating and the view gives a clear uninterrupted view of town and the post office tower
Over the road a few yards down a small lane is the church at Church End St.Cuthberts, originally built in the 1300’s the tower and top of the spire added in the 1500’s and the inside and roof gutted by fire in 1886, restored a year later. The Church has a fair size graveyard. Passing the church on your right, to the left is the old School house and six almshouses built in 1699, a friend of mine Jim Locke has lived in one most his life.
In the late 30’s William King was landlord of the Inn, The Fox family ran the Griffin in the 1930’s with Fletcher John Fox as well as being Mine Host was the local undertaker making coffins in the building on the left hand side of the Griffin Inn and using the little stone built shed at the bottom of the hill towards Furnace End opposite the Toll house to store all his wood for the coffins as the road was turnpiked in 1700’s.
Before the Fox family in 1868 Edward Moss was the Innkeeper and when he died the farmer William Ancott eventually took over
Mike gave me a photo taken in 1897 when William Ancott was the Farmer and Publican and advertised good trout fishing for the nearby stream. He fell down the cellar steps of the Pub in 1905 and broke his neck and as Mike took me down the cellar to show me how it was laid out and take a photo about 12 years back I can vouch for the steps to being quite steep
Photo 1 1897
Photo 2 1900 ( note sign pointing to the Industrial School which was like a reform school)
Photo3 1980
Photo 4 &5 2007

 

[Charlie]

My stepfather used to live in Sheepy Magna, and we drove through Shustoke many times before finally finding the time to venture into The Griffin. It was a lovely pub and we then stopped regularly for great meals.
Stepfather died a couple of years ago and we don't drive out that way anymore. Maybe we should make a special journey just for the pub (Dearly Beloved's a Real Ale fan !)

 

[Frothblower]

I've been to the Griffin about 6 times over the years, what a smashing pub it is, just wished her indoors could drive then I could have a few more bevvies,
Think I might pop in Sunday after the car boot.

 

[Beryl M]

It looks like a watering hole my dad would have liked - maybe he went there who knows - he did loved a draught beer!

 

[Wendy]

Now I know where to go when Michael asks where would you like to eat...............trouble is I have to drive as I don't like beer. Michael says wine is not the same......he loves real ale! Thanks for the photo's Cromwell.

 

[Alf]

Cromwell is there a Trout Farm or pool near the Griffin?

 

[O.C.]

Moma, if ya tell me when you are coming I will make sure hubby has a good drink and we have a good chat

 

[Wendy]

I will let you know Cromwell!

 

[loisand]

A little extra info Cromwell for you;
October 1899, E. Locke (relation to Jim Locke) had measles and was sent to school by her mother, only to be sent home again. 1917..Mary and Thomas Locke returned to school after being absent for a month with measles.

 

[Nephrititi]

Cromwell

Those photographs of the Griffin Inn bring back so many memories for me. So glad you posted them.

I have mentioned before in previous posts that some of my ancestors in various generations were Licesenced Victuallers.

One in particular ran a pub in Nuneaton - cannot for the life of me remember the name though. On Sundays my father used to take my sister and I and my grandfather to see visit this Aunt in her pub and we used to stop off at the Griffin on the way there for a drink. I would have been around 7/8 so would possibly have been around the early 1960's.


I would love to visit the Griffin Inn now especially if the food is as good as you say it is.

Regards

Fay

 

[O.C.]

Another great reason for going to The Griffin is in the Church opposite (which was erected in reign of Edward II) Sir William Dugdale is buried, he died in 1685 at Blythe Hall Shustoke, he published his great work at his own cost of “Antiquities of Warwickshire” and many more great books and manuscripts which are now in the possession of the University of Oxford.
The Clock in the church tower was put there in memory of the men who fell in the Great War and the stone plaque is on the side of the church

 

[Beryl M]

I love to tour the old churches in Great Britain - Not only do you feel a whole sense of history when you enter - What amazes me is the architecture and the beauty of it all....

 

[O.C.]

Farmer and Publican and advertised good trout fishing for the nearby stream.

Alf in response to your PM ..and post 7
all I know not being a fisherman is what I put above ...but there are lots of lakes ponds river and streams about in the area and ya can buy trout in the local shop

And did ya know William Dugdale was born in Shustoke ....The Old Rectory in 1605
Much later in the 1920's living there was Harry "Dukey" Vincent who was a barman at the Griffin and was the local gravedigger and verger
In the Great War he was in the 9th Worcs' and before that was an old soldier who served in India

 

[Alf]

Thank you Cromwell, my reason for asking was that I lived in Coleshill in the 60s left 74 and we use to go to a Pub in or near Shustoke on Saturday evenings and it always had a crowd of Trout Fishermen there.

Then at about 9.00pm they served free trout given by the said Fishermen so as I don't dream about Trout I couldn't have imagined it

 

[sylviasayers]

Alf, is the pub you are trying to recall The Plough, it is right in the middle of Shustoke almost opposite a reservoir - don't know whether that is where the trout was caught.

 

[Alf]

Not sure Sylvia its so long ago.

Can't even recall how it looked from this http://beautiful-birmingham.com/North%20Warwickshie.%20Adobe%20web%20ready.%2024.05.2006/pages/The%20Plough,%20Shustoke..htm

 

[O.C.]

In the first posting on page one photo 2 it shows signpost to the Industrial School here is a map showing where it was from the Griffin Inn

 

[Alf]

Thanks for that great

 

[brummie nick]

In the first posting on page one photo 2 it shows signpost to the Industrial School here is a map showing where it was from the Griffin Inn

Cromwell, is the Griffin to the left of the map?

 

[O.C.]

Nick Map showing Griffin Inn which is right opposite Shawbury Lane (the + is the church )

 

[brummie nick]

Thanks for that.

 

[O.C.]

In reply to a PM from Fay about her relatives from Bentley Common and how far it was from the Griffin Inn, I can tell her it was about 4 miles but the nearest pub was The Rose at Baxterley, a great little pub very picturesque and even today has the village duck pond in front
Many years ago while the Folk of Birmingham remember the disaster at Hamstead colliery when 29 men were killed, the disaster at Baxterley seems to have been forgotten and it was just as bad
Baxterley has the memory of as sad a day as any village can have lived through. It was in May about 120 years ago when an explosion at the pit entombed nine men.
This is the tragic tale of that most bitter day. Spring had come to Baxterley. Its woods were green, the birds were singing, and life seemed good, even to those who had to leave the sun and dive into the gloom of the mine. Then hurrying feet, load shouts, and the news broke through the peace of a May morning like a thunderbolt. Stratford Pit was on fire. Smoke and fumes poured from the pithead, poisoning the air, while 1500 feet below were eight men and a boy with 11 pit ponies.
A rescue party was soon on its way down the shaft, headed by Mr W. S. Dugdale of Merevale Hall, the owner of the pit, and the manager and his son. Those above waited with nerves taut. Was there a chance that he or he or he might be saved? To their horror they heard below a fearful explosion, then another, and another. All but three of the rescue party managed to get back to safety. Mr Dugdale was not one of them. Somewhere below he was lying dead or injured. In half an hour a second rescue party went down, making their way through dense volumes of smoke, knowing that any moment another explosion might blow them out of this world. A cry for help was heard, and they found Mr Dugdale so seriously injured that it was with the greatest difficulty that they managed to bring him to the top. Again they descended and the two others from the first rescue party were brought up only just alive.
Throughout the afternoon smoke poured from the pit and a heavy pall hung over the village. The men could not rest. They could not leave their comrades trapped while there was any chance of rescuing them. Time after time attempts were made. Time after time rescuers brought back other rescuers so badly burned or gassed that they died in a few minutes. Two men crawled 60 yards to reach another. Of the first victims nothing had been seen or heard, and the death-roll mounted hourly. All night the fire raged. Carbon dioxide poured out in deadly fumes. When day came again it was clear that no one could be alive in that inferno. The mine was sealed and made airtight to extinguish the flames, but it was like stopping a volcano, the rush of gas and smoke forced the seals away.
In Baxterley and the villages round the wealthiest home and the poorest were in mourning. Miners, engineers, members of the pithead staff, one after the other died. Ten days after the fire began the death-roll was 27; a few days later it had reached 30.

Map shows Griffin Inn lower left hand corner

https://hometown.aol.co.uk/pitexplosion/GalleryFrame1Source1.htm

 

[Nephrititi]

Griffin Inn

Cromwell

What a tragic event.

What heros those rescuers were, to think of their commrades instead of their own lives.

One can't imagine what those poor families were going through.

Thank you for posting this topic (and for the map).

Fay

 

[Charlie]

My stepfather lived at Sheepy Magna and had many friends in Baxterley. They had a "Gardeners Club" that used to meet at the Black Horse in Sheepy or The Rose in Baxterley. This story was often discussed and I think it's good that the sacrificies made and the lives lost on that day will never be forgotten.

 

[Wendy]

Cromwell I have to hold my hands up here I did not know about this pit disaster. I worked for several years in Baddesly Ensor about 15 years ago, the next village to Baxterly. I met many of the old miners from Baddersly Pit who were then at Daw Mill Pit and I never heard of this disaster, thats so sad. I went to Baxterly often as I had a client who lived next to the pub in a lovely old cottage. I asked Michael if he knew of the disaster as he delivered oil to Merrivale Hall in the 70's and met Sir William Dugdale several times, he always said what a gentlman he was. I presume that D S Dugdale would have been his grandfather.
Thank you for posting this I found it very interesting and informative.

 

[O.C.]

Wendy I had dinner in the Rose a few weeks ago and just walked around to the church which has some intresting history...the pinnacled tower also speaks of a tragedy built by a chap from Mancetter Hugh Glover in memory of his father Robert Glover who was burned at the stake in Coventry in 1555........ but now straying a bit far from the Griffin Pub so will have to get back on track

 

[Wendy]

Graham, thanks for that I think I will have a drive up to take a look.

 

[O.C.]

Wendy, The Area around the Griffin is steeped in history and it was just up the road that the early iron masters of Birmingham lived at Whitacre Hall, Charles Jenner was born their and if you take a look at the Whitacre Waterworks by Shustoke Reservoir James Watts fantastic pair of pumping engines were here from 1885 till they were replaced in 1937
Great Walking area if armed with an old map (as well as a modern one)as you are never to far from a pub
A few years ago I explored the Old Hall at Kingsbury with the owners permission (I wanted to record were the troops stayed in the Great War as the place was used as a billet and the graffiti could still be seen on the walls upstairs )and what a ruin that was ...it was also very dangerous and in a bad state of decay....
Pic 1 is Postcard 1900's
Pic 2,3,4 as it is today

 

[O.C.]

The Photo with the numbers 123 on are the buildings that were added on to the Griffin at a later date 1 & 2 after 1940 and 3 about 10 to 15 years ago (but not to sure)
You can see Shustoke Reservoir which has a huge sailing club now from the grounds of the Griffin.
Photo shows the Reservoir looking at St Chuthberts Church and the Griffin is just to the right of it hidden by trees ...
Mike from the Griffin now tells me he is living in the house of the one time landlord of the Griffin ..Fletcher Fox's old house but he did not know till he got the deeds of the old house ...Strange Coincidence

 

[Wendy]

The photo's are lovely Graham I enjoyed our visit to the Griffin its a smashing old pub. I wish I had more time to explore but its so nice to read your posts with all the information! What a coincidence Mike living in the same house as Fletcher Fox. Thanks Wendy.