I was out and about again last week, on Halloween no less, and this time found myself back in Staffordshire, a county that had remained unvisited so far this year but had provided various degrees of success in the past. Usually, I select destinations based on where I think might be interesting but, on this occasion, I took heed of a recommendation from a friend who thought I might enjoy the place in question as much as he had. With that in mind, I took it upon myself to visit Uttoxeter, a town perhaps best known as much for its horseracing and proximity to Alton Towers, as well as its literary connections. It would be intriguing to see what its pub scene had to offer.
Uttoxeter is a market town and civil parish in the East Staffordshire borough of Staffordshire. It is near to the Derbyshire county border. The town is 14 miles (23 km) from Burton upon Trent via the A50 and the A38, 14 miles (23 km) from Stafford via the A518, 16 miles (26 km) from Stoke-on-Trent via the A50, and 20 miles (32 km) from Derby via the A50 and the A38, and 11 miles (18 km) north-east of Rugeley via the A518 and the B5013. The population was 14,014 at the 2021 Census. The town's literary connections include Samuel Johnson and Mary Howitt.
Uttoxeter's name has been spelt at least 79 ways since it appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Wotocheshede": it probably came from Anglo-Saxon Wuttuceshǣddre, meaning "Wuttuc's homestead on the heath". Some historians have pointed to pre-Roman settlement here; axes from the Bronze Age discovered in the town are now on display in the Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent. It is possible that Uttoxeter was the location of some form of Roman activity, due to its strategic position on the River Dove and its closeness to the large garrison forts at Rocester between 69 and 400 AD, and the recently discovered fort at Stramshall. However, little corroborating archaeological evidence has been found.
Uttoxeter saw the last major royalist surrender of the English Civil War, on 25 August 1648, when James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton surrendered to Parliamentarian General John Lambert.
Perhaps the most famous historical event to have occurred in Uttoxeter is an act of penance by Samuel Johnson. Johnson's father ran a bookstall on Uttoxeter market, and young Samuel once refused to help out on the stall. When Johnson was older, he stood in the rain without a hat, as penance for his failure to assist his father. The event is commemorated by the Johnson Memorial, which stands in Market Place in the town centre. He is also remembered in the name of Johnson Road.
Mary Howitt, the Quaker writer of the poem "The Spider and the Fly", grew up in Uttoxeter. The town influenced some of her poems and novels and fuelled her love of natural history, which also featured in her books. Howitt Crescent, a residential road in the town, was named after her. The house where she lived, Howitt Place, is still standing in Balance Street.
Thomas Fradgley, Uttoxeter's own architect designed Uttoxeter Town Hall (1854), the Johnson Memorial (1854), St Michael's Church, Stramshall, St Lawrence Church, Bramshall (1835), St Mary's Church, Uttoxeter, and Marchington Church. He was involved with Pugin and other architects in designs for the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury at Alton Towers including the figures of the Talbot Hounds at the entrance tower (1830), the Angel Corbels in the Lady chapel, 1833, Alton Towers Chapel with Joseph Potter (completed in 1833), Swiss Cottage, and Harper's Cottage, Farley. He was the architect who improved several local schools, including Uttoxeter National School, Hanbury Free School (enlarged in 1848), national schools at Oakamoor, Cauldon, Alton, and Draycott School, Hanbury. He married Clara Warner from Bramshall. Their only child Thomas died aged six. Thomas Fradgley died in 1883 aged 83.
Bunting's brewery had occupied a large area of the centre of the town since the Victorian era. It ceased production in the 1929 after being bought by Parkers Brewery of Burslem, later part of Ind Coope. The remains of the brewery were demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Maltings shopping precinct and car park. The turret clock from the brewery, which had been languishing in the basement of the town hall, was refurbished and installed above the entrance to the Costa Coffee shop in the Carters Square Shopping Centre shortly before the centre opened in 2014.
In 2008, Uttoxeter marked the 700th anniversary of its market charter of 1308, which underpins the markets held on Saturdays and Wednesdays and on other festival days. The 1308 charter followed a more general Royal Charter granted to the town's burgesses in 1252.
Handily for my purposes, Uttoxeter is not a long journey for Nottingham. The train takes under an hour and involves no changes so I arrived in the town, not long after 11am, on a grey and chilly, but dry, Thursday, ready to dive deeper. What would I find? Join me now! As usual for these trips, I had compiled a route that I thought would best encapsulate the town itself and allow me to explore as much as possible before my return train. Whilst the majority of the venues would be relatively close to each other around the town centre, I would first begin on the outskirts. The first pub is always a good wayfinding stop, as well as a good place to quench the thirst and use the facilities before moving further on. I had such a place in mind. Leaving the station, I followed Station Road around to the right, which brought me to a main road and associated traffic island. I crossed over, passing an impressive sculpture of a centaur on said roundabout, and followed the road around to the right where it becomes Town Meadows Way. I followed this road for a few more yards, until a large retail park appeared on the right. Part of this complex, adjacent to the road, includes The Dapple Grey.
This Marston's pub was purpose built in 2010 to serve the nearby retail park. As with a lot of Marston's premises of this type, it is very much food driven. The name comes from a breed of horse, presumably in reference to the nearby racecourse, which it turns out is directly next to the train station. Race days must be a delight for commuters. The outside decor reflects this, with a sculpture of a horse's head at the entrance to the beer garden. My first task was finding my way in. The entrance can only be accessed from the side furthest from the road so, after circling the building, I finally managed to gain entry. Inside, the layout is what you'd expect from this style of pub. A curved bar is opposite the door. Furniture is wooden and a mix of traditional tables and chairs and upholstered booth-style spaces. The interior is broken up into different sections, all set out for dining, although there is a slightly more formal area to one side. Lighting is subtle and the decor is modern with lots of pillars dividing up the space. In essence, the Dapple Grey is a carbon copy of The Chain Bridge from my Boston trip, albeit with the toilets at the opposite end of the room. All of the pubs in the Marston's food-led chain seem to be virtually identical and, whilst this is great for functionality and familiarity, it doesn't exactly imbue them with much character. There is good beer to found here though. A bank of 4 occupies the bar. At the time of my visit, 3 of these were in use, offering a choice between Marston's Pedigree, which was doubled up, or Wychwood Hobgoblin Ruby. I sprung for the latter, at £2.50 for a half, and moved to a nearby booth. Following a much needed comfort break, I got stuck into the beer. The Hobgoblin was in good condition. It was nothing outstanding and it definitely wasn't the best I've had from this beer on draught. It certainly wasn't the worst though by any stretch. In any case, it had quenched my thirst and helped start my day off.
It was time to head into the town centre proper now. Leaving The Dapple Grey, I crossed over the main road and headed down a neighbouring side street. Shortly after, I took a right onto Back Lane. Reaching the end of the lane, I turned right again and followed the road round until I reached the junction of Smithfield Road and High Street. My intended second stop was the Smithfield Hotel, however, it was closed when I arrived and closer inspection revealed that it was undergoing an internal refurbishment. Not to be deterred, I pushed on to the next location. Continuing down High Street, I crossed over Carter Street and reached Market Place, the approximate centre of town. On the right as I approached it, overlooking the market place itself, is Ye Olde Talbot.
This Grade II listed building dates from the late 16th century but is built on the site of a much older premises, believed to date from the 13th century. The name of the inn derives from the Talbot family, the Earls of Shrewsbury, who were much involved with the town and who once owned nearby Alton Towers (the house, not the theme park). The pub sign features a hound, a symbol of the family. The building was gifted to the local poor by John Dynes in his will, with instructions that the rent raised would be used by a local charity to pay for apprenticeships for children of poor locals. In 1672, the building survived the second Great Fire of Uttoxeter, which destroyed a large part of the town. The first such blaze had been in 1596. Doctor Samuel Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary, performed his act of penance, in 1777, opposite the building, which was used by his father to store books. The inn was also used as lodgings for the first station master, Richard Bartlett, upon the arrival of the railway to the town in 1848. The current exterior dates from a 2023 refurbishment. The Talbot is certainly one of the oldest and most storied of Uttoxeter's buildings so I was looking forward to getting inside. I would not be disappointed. Inside, much of the building's original features remain. Exposed beams and brickwork are available throughout, along with whitewashed internal walls. The entrance leads directly into the bar area. A small bar sits opposite the door with a small number of tables scattered around and a real fire providing much needed warmth. To the right is a separate, smaller room, with a second fireplace. A larger games room with dart board is beyond this, as are the toilets. I was very pleased to see a trio of handpulls on the bar, all of them providing Draught Bass. This would become a recurring theme, as will become clear. Clutching a half (£2.20), I retreated to the second room, enjoying the warmth from both fires as I did so. From a seat on a table near the mullioned windows, I could absorb the sights and sounds of Uttoxeter, including the small monument opposite the pub which has been repurposed as a jacket potato kiosk. Ye Olde Talbot feels like an historic pub. Obviously it is one but sometimes, pubs try too hard to cover their historic elements. Not here. Without any cues from the world outside, one could easily imagine being in front of a roaring fire with a mug of ale at any point over the near 500 years of the pub's existence. The Bass here was excellent. I hadn't realised at this stage quite how much of it I'd be consuming on the day but, the quality here would be the standard I'd be measuring against.
Bass well and truly supped, at least for now, it was on to the next stop, located a short distance. Leaving the Talbot, I turned right and continued onto Market Street, a mere stone's throw away. Here you will find the Black Swan.
The next venue on my list was the most unusual that I would find all day, for reasons that will soon become obvious. Leaving the Black Swan, I returned to the Market Place and this time turned right, passing a row of shops and a couple of venues that weren't open yet but would be receiving my custom later in the afternoon. Just a short walk away, near to the local war memorial and the aforementioned branch of Spoons, is Time - The Vintage Hub.
This is place is a very unique experience. Essentially a coffee shop and cafe, Time opened in 2019. As well as offering breakfast, lunch and home-made cakes, there is also a bar here, hence my visit. Whilst the draft selections take the form of macro lagers, there is a range of real ales in bottles. It was primarily the ambience that attracted me though. When I first put the list of stops together for this trip, Time was a late addition and it would turn out to be a good choice. The interior of this place is decorated with all manner of vintage items, from old bicycles and guitars to old books and vinyl. Repurposed, highly decorated umbrellas hang from the ceiling and bric-a-brac can be found throughout. Seating is on tables and chairs in the centre of the room, although there is additional space on sofas in two raised areas, either side of the door. The bar runs down one side of the room, with a small partition separating it from the open kitchen. The toilets are located down a corridor to the rear but, please note, these are not accessible for those with disabilities or mobility issues, due to the layout of the building. I entered Time, made my way up to the bar and perused the fridges. The bottled options were Wye Valley Butty Bach, Black Sheep Ale and Fuller's London Pride. I opted for the Black Sheep (reasonably priced at £3.80 for the bottle) and took a seat on a stool at the end of the bar where I soon spotted other quirky features. The countertop is glass and underneath are old bottle caps, niche cartoons and comic strips as well as flyers from previous events. On the wall to the left of the door is a 'wall of dogs', specifically photos of customers' canine companions. This place is dog friendly, to add to the growing list of reasons to visit. I was suitably blown away by the eccentric atmosphere. I did not have drinking bottled ale in a vintage themed coffee shop on my 2024 bingo card!
My next location would involve retracing my steps. Leaving Market Place, I headed back across the square and up the High Street, until I reached Carter Street where I turned left. I'd passed the next location earlier on in the day, before it opened. Now that time had moved on, I could visit the White Hart Hotel.
If the name of this premises sounds familiar, you're not having deja vu. I've visited a number of hotels this year, on various trips, that all share this name. It's become something of an unofficial theme in 2024 following visits to St. Albans and Boston, which boast identically monikered locations. This hotel, which opened in its current guise in 2014, was formerly an 18th century coaching inn. It also operates as a restaurant, bar and cocktail bar, which means that it is welcoming to casual visitors as well as those staying overnight. Despite the building work taking place on the outside, the hotel is a very nice place. The entrance is around the corner and through the car park but this brings you through into the reception area, with the bar up a short flight of steps beyond. Seating around the bar is casual and a mix of stools and more traditional tables. A more formal restaurant area can be found to one side. The interior is light, bright and modern, even when one gets past the life size sculpture of a gorilla right by the entrance. The hotel has also embraced the Halloween vibes, with a particular highlight being a pumpkin on the bar drinking a bottle of beer. Speaking of beer, the hotel has real ale in abundance. Three handpulls all offer beers from the very local Uttoxeter Brewing Company, which is located across the car park from the hotel itself. This leaves me with the dilemma of having to choose between three beers I've never had before. The options were ? (genuinely the beer name; I haven't gone insane), Chinook or Final Furlong. I eventually settled on the Chinook (4.7%), an American style pale ale, brewed with the eponymous hop. Parting with £2.80 for the privilege of a half, I moved over to a table not far from the bar, and perched on a stool, which I was slightly too tall for. Either way, this proved to be a good spot to give this beer a go and what a beer it was! The citrus character of the hop really comes through, which leads to flavours of grapefruit and an all around tropical flavour with a clean finish. It's a lovely beer and the White Hart is the perfect place in which to imbibe it. It's not all sweetness and light here though. The hotel has ghostly activity aplenty. The spirit of a lady has been seen wandering around the building. Who she is doesn't appear to be clear and the same goes for the ghost of a little girl whose voice has been heard in the cellar and at one point was even captured on a digital recorder. More sinister are mysterious blood spatters appearing on the shower curtain in one room and something described as 'demonic' in another bedroom. Certainly there are layers to unravel here. It all slots into the history of a town that, so far, had revealed more than I expected.
With my time at the White Hart at an end, it was back into the centre of town now. Having reached the market place, I decided it was time for a lunch break. Luckily, I'd equipped myself with a meal deal at Nottingham station earlier and I'd found the perfect place to enjoy it. The church of St. Mary overlooks the market place and so I took advantage of an empty bench in the churchyard to fortify myself. Despite my lack of religious beliefs, I find churchyards peaceful, so spent a relaxing few minutes preparing myself for the second half of my afternoon. I had a few locations left but still had a few minutes before the next one opened. However, the call of nature was getting louder. Thankfully, there was a solution. I resolved to dip into a nearby venue, use their facilities and get a swift half in by way of payment before continuing on. I already knew that the beer choice would not be to my liking but bladder outfought brain. Adjacent to the church, and overlooking the war memorial, is The Steeplechase.
This is a relatively large, one roomed pub that focuses heavily on sports. Inside, the bar is to one side of the room. The interior is largely open plan with stools and high tables opposite the bar, wooden tables and chairs to the rear and a large space, occupied by a pool table and banquette seating tucked around a corner. Fruit machines and myriad TVs can be found within. The toilets are down a corridor parallel to the bar. As expected, there is no real ale here. I contented myself with half a Guinness (£2.50) and used the loo before I headed round to the banquette seating, out of sight of the bar, where I also took advantage of a handy plug socket to charge my phone. The Guinness was nice enough. The Steeplechase is a strange beast. I ascertained two things during my short stay here. The pub's emphasis on sport means that it's presumably heaving in the evening and at weekends. Additionally, there doesn't seem to be much of a daytime trade. The pub opens at noon everyday and doesn't currently serve food. Clearly they're used to not being busy in the afternoon if the member of staff on duty has Police Interceptors on the the TV, with the volume up. I'm not being judgmental in any sense. I'm just always intrigued as to how pubs like this manage to keep going. Obviously, I don't live in the town so I may well be missing something. Perhaps evenings and weekends offset daytimes. Who knows? Regardless, The Steeplechase had been another fascinating insight in the many facets of Uttoxeter.
Feeling a bit more revitalised, it was time to push on. Conveniently, the next stop on my tour was a short distance away. Facing across the market place towards Time, is a venue that had been closed when I'd initially walked past but had opened at 2pm. Next up: the Vaults of Uttoxeter.
This is another Grade II listed building that dates from the mid-18th century, although the current frontage is a 19th century addition. The impressive windows are etched with the pub name and the Bass triangle, a sign of what was to be found inside. The pub's name presumably refers to the shape. Three rooms make up the interior, stretching back through the building. The front room is a more traditional public bar with wooden tables and chairs. Beyond this is a smaller space with banquette seating and a bar billiards table. A third, smaller room can be found beyond this. The toilets are outside to the rear, accessed down a corridor. As well as the main front entrance, there is a much narrower side access (shown open in the above photo). The bar is situated to one side and serves the two front rooms. 6 handpulls can be found on the bar, although just two were in use when I popped in, both offering, you guessed it, Bass! I once again parted with £2.20 for a half and made my way into the second room, adjacent to the bar billiards table. The Vaults is certainly a building with character. The fact that the etched windows and external toilets have been retained, adds a touch of history to the place. It helps that the Bass here is also well kept, almost on a par with that at the Talbot earlier in the day. My final encounter with this specific beer, at least on this excursion, would be coming up very shortly.
I left the Vaults in a good mood. Even though the beer choices hadn't been spectacular or particularly wide ranging up to this point, I was enjoying myself. Something about being somewhere new for the afternoon always gladdens my heart and soul. My next stop wasn't far away and I was hopeful that the good vibes would continue. Back across the market place I went, roughly in the direction of the Black Swan but this time I took a left before reaching Market Street, onto Queen Street, to stop at The Old Star.
This Grade II listed premises is the epitome of a traditional pub. The original multi-roomed layout has been mostly retained, although it has been opened out in places. The first room houses the small bar, which serves the two halves of the pub. Beyond this, the larger middle room, with real fire, features banquette seating. The third room, to the rear includes a pool table and dartboard. There is a children's play area outside and the pub has a real emphasis on being family friendly. Much of the decor is original and traditional with simple wooden furniture, although there are historic photos of the town and exposed beams and brickwork throughout. The Old Star was the recipient of CAMRA's Pub of the Season award in 2015. I was warmly greeted by the landlady upon entering and told to be careful with the tables in the middle room as they'd recently been revarnished and were still sticky. I made a mental note to avoid any varnish based mishaps as I approached the bar. Of the 4 handpulls here, 1 was in use with Bass as the sole offering. I had a bit more time to kill before the final two pubs opened so I treated myself to a pint, which set me back £4.35. I then decided to avoid the middle room and instead took a seat in the games room to the rear where it turned out somebody had drawn a crude, and anatomically alarming, penis on the pool table scoreboard. Some things never change. As I supped my delicious pint of Bass, I took in my surroundings more closely. The Old Star is a welcoming and homely place to spend some time with a good beer. No frills. No bells and whistles. Just good old fashioned hospitality and a place to be made welcome. Bonus points for a cracking pint of Bass!
I had two stops left. Once again, they were in close proximity and I'd already passed them both a couple of times but had to wait for them to open before I could partake of their goods. Prior to my arrival in Uttoxeter, these two stops were the ones I'd been looking forward to the most. It was time to see whether they'd live up to my expectations. On the corner of the market place sits the Horse & Dove.
Occupying a listed building, this is Uttoxeter's first micropub. The traditional decor is offset by equine and avian theming. Seating extends around the room with higher tables and stools in the centre. The front windows can be opened to the street in warmer weather, when outside seating is also available. The bar occupies space at the back of the room, with an adjacent corridor leading to the toilet. Snacks, gins and an extensive list of real ciders are available. The overall feel is light, airy and welcoming. Upon entering I was greeted by a very cute terrier-type dog that belonged to one of the locals who was already in residence. A handful of other customers were already in situ, an impressive feat given that I arrived 5 minutes after opening time. Said small dog then followed me to the bar before being recalled. Amongst the well stocked bar, you will find 6 handpulls. 3 of these were available to choose between at the time I stopped by, offering a choice of Derby Dashingly Dark, the Halloween themed Spookylicious, also from Derby, and Wye Valley Butty Bach. The Horse & Dove retails all of its real ale at £4 a pint, meaning that a half set me back £2 when I eventually settled for the Spookylicious. I retreated to a table along one wall and marvelled at the lengths the pub ownership had gone to to embrace the season. Halloween paraphernalia was everywhere, whether that be hanging from the ceiling or festooned across the replica dovecote mounted in one corner, all accompanied by a suitably spooky soundtrack. If you're going to do something for Halloween, do it like this! The Horse & Dove has been commended by Uttoxeter CAMRA on many occasions, winning a rising star award in 2017, Pub of the Year in 2018 and 2020 and Cider Pub of the Year in 2023. I could already see why and I hadn't even tried the beer yet. Spookylicious (4.3%) is pale ruby in colour. On the palate, it's rich and warming and it all leads to a lasting finish. It's a very good beer indeed! This turned out to be everything I would have expected from a micropub and deserves the plaudits it has achieved so far.
My final stop was fast approaching. I was determined to end my day on a high. Tucked away off of the market place but accessible down an alleyway, is the excellently named Night Inn.
Opened in July 2020, the Night Inn is the tap for Uttoxeter Brewing Company and has built up a considerable reputation for the quality of its offering, which has seen it recognised in the Good Beer Guide, including the 2024 edition, the only pub in the town to feature. The interior is modern with repurposed furniture, bespoke subtle lighting and bare floorboards. The toilets are to the left of the entrance. To the right, you will find the bar which, amongst craft beer, lager and locally produced spirits, there are also 4 handpulls, dispensing beers from Uttoxeter. Locally produced snacks are also available. A function room is available to hire. Amongst the pub's numerous CAMRA awards are three consecutive Pub of the Year wins (2022, 2023 and 2024), a rising star award for 2021, bronze awards for Staffordshire Pub of the Year (2022 and 2024) and winner of the Winter Ale Trail award for 2023. Had I saved the best til last? The four beer options were certainly intriguing and, as mentioned, all from Uttoxeter's portfolio: Final Furlong, Dr. J (Doctor Johnson's Contrafibularity), Uxonian and Paddock Porter. After a considerable moment's debate, I went for the Uxonian (4.9%). Named after the demonym given to a native of the town, this proved to be a superb choice. Light amber in colour, the New Zealand hops give floral and earthy flavours with notes of white wine. I thoroughly enjoyed it, sat by myself at a low table near the bar, the only customer at that moment in time. The soft lighting, comfortable surroundings and general relaxed feeling certainly made me feel at ease. It's easy to see why this venue is so highly regarded.
Having expended by time at the Night Inn, there was only one thing left to do: make my leisurely way back to the station to await my return train. Now that the clocks have gone back and winter is on its way, there's something wonderfully atmospheric about waiting for a train as the sun goes down. It's in those liminal moments that thoughts are clearest. What had I made of my trip to Uttoxeter? Does the town deserve to be spoken of in the same breath as it's near neighbours of Burton and Tamworth, with all of their brewing and political history respectively? Perhaps not quite yet. However, the more time I spent in Uttoxeter, the more I got the sense of a real community feel of the place. On paper, it might not seem like the obvious choice for a day out but in some ways that feels like an advantage. Everywhere I went I was given a warm welcome. I learned more about a town that I knew little of, even in passing. Yes, the beer choice wasn't as diverse as it's been on other trips but what there was of it was well kept. Nowhere did I feel out of place or that I didn't belong. Uttoxeter: a hidden gem? Maybe. A worthwhile stop? Definitely. Doctor Johnson would be pleased.
Pub of the day: Horse & Dove. For sheer comfort and commitment to the season.
Beer of the day: Bass. Specifically, the Bass I had at the Talbot.
Biggest surprise: Time. Expected a vintage coffee shop and got much more than I bargained for.
