A Wizzard Pub.

A combination of things - physical state, weather, loss of mojo, life - have resulted in an almost complete absence of pedalling of late. A couple of trips down to the outlaws in Somerset this week have seen me drive past this place. I'd always meant to ride out to take my own shot of this impressive building but will rely on this one captured by Peter Wood three years ago. It hasn't changed.

Sitting at a cross roads on the A515 in Cubley, Derbyshire, the cross roads where England goalkeeper Gordon Banks lost an eye in a car accident, this bygone boozer has been known by a number of different names through the years. Whatever its official title has been it's always been known as The Stoop to locals, in reference to the mounting block that can be seen on the gable end at the far right of the picture.

The earliest references to it that I can find is in the 1828 editions of both Pigot's and Glover's directories when The Chesterfield Arms was run by Thomas Jackson. (Cubley had been part of the Earl of Chesterfield's estate since 1585). Whilst under Jackson a friendly society was established at the pub on 4th January 1831.

After his death in 1837 John Mears took over the running of the Chesterfield Arms, although it was called the Cubley Stoop in the 1851 census. Mears remained the innkeeper until the 1850s when control passed to Henry Lane who was in charge at the time of the 1861 census.

A decade later it had changed hands once more and had also changed names. John Lees was mine host at the Howard's Arms. John had previously lived at the Red Lion in Alton when it was run by his father. The Red Lion itself closed in 1972. Quite which branch of the Howard family it's doffing its cap to I'm unsure.

The 1876 edition of Kelly's Directory has the place in the hands of one Robert Goodall and it remains in the Goodall family, with son Francis taking it on, when Robert retires. It was whilst in the hands of the Goodalls that it seemed to be known simply as Cubley Inn, or even more simply as The Inn. Both census records and various editions of Kelly's have it recorded as such, but it makes a return as the Howard Arms, without the apostrophe, by the time that the 1925 edition shows an Arthur Minion in occupation. It seems to have kept this name until the 1990s when the place was bought by Roy Wood of The Move/Electric Light Orchestra/Wizzard fame around 1997.

It seems that it continued briefly to operate as a pub but then did close its doors for good. Roy Wood still lives there today.

Edit 13th May 2022.

Thanks to Jonathan who sent me this clipping from the Derby Mercury of the 14th August 1800 which shows that the pub was operating back then. The landlord of the time, Thomas Locker, was a distant relative of his.

Of the other pubs mentioned in the clipping, the Three Queens in Burton and the Bell in Derby are both still in existence whilst the Green Man in Ashbourne featured in this post.

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