The Pubs of Greystoke
Greystoke used to sport a total of 4 pubs, including 1 Inn – the Boot and Shoe, of course. But as our local history expert Allan Marshall explains, there was a crucial difference between a pub and an inn:
The Boot and Shoe Inn is the only pub shown on old ordinance survey maps. An Inn provided accommodation and was shown on maps. Public houses in those days were just someone’s house with a room where you could purchase ale.
The Cricketers Arms
The Cricketers Arms, Berrier Road. Photographer unknown
The Cricketers Arms. Just beyond you can see a horse standing. This was the blacksmiths shop, hence Smithy Court. The blacksmiths shop became the start of Mandales Garage. The house to the left of the old pub, that has scaffolding on the chimney, was Florine Howells shop. I used to go in there in the fifties and get four aniseed balls for a penny.
The Cricketers Arms still exists. It is the very first building on Berrier Road. It is now two houses. Squirrel Cottage and The Cottage. Perhaps if the present owners read this they might do some renaming!
The Cricketers Arms was known as Garage House in later years as it was next to Mandales garage. Mary and I lived in Garage House when we first got married and one of the rooms was the office for the garage. Ruby Mounsey was the secretary and had permission to use our bathroom and the garage bog was no place for a lady! Allan Marshall
The Pelican
The Pelican was a pub situated on Church Road. Today the house still has the same name.
Crossways
The 3rd pub in the Village was Crossways, the white house situated at the top of Church Road, opposite the Post Office.
The Boot and Shoe
Finally the Inn. The Boot and Shoe is now the only pub in the village.
The Boot and Shoe is a 16th Century Coaching Inn dating from 1511, and it’s 500 year old name apparently comes from a former Duke of Norfolk who at the time lived in Greystoke Castle. It is said that to ease the pain of gout, he used to wear a Boot on one foot and a Shoe on the other.
The photograph below shows the Boot and Shoe circa 1955
