Cirencester Pubs Through Time

In 1800 residents of Cirencester in search of ale could choose from seventy-three public houses. In 2012 that choice had dwindled to seventeen. In 1976 Philip Griffiths began his quest to find out more about the closures while enjoying a drink at the bar of the survivors. Old postcards, photographs and directories provided the first clues and digging deep in the archives revealed the location of some of the absentee landlords. The 'lost' pubs provide a colourful litany of names: Three Cats Head, the Pound of Candles, Jacobs Well, and the New Conduit. The 'recently lost' but still strong in people's memories include the Queen's Head, the Forester's Arms, the White Lion and the Woodbine. This walking tour of the town's hostelries, old and new, is sure to bring back fond memories for patrons of the old watering holes of this quaint Cotswold town.