I really do need to make things easier for myself. Over the course of the many years of writing this blog, I've always used any means necessary to reach my intended destination, using various forms of transport, changing trains, changing buses, trudging on foot, and braving, at times, quite insidious weather, in order to get pubs and beers ticked off. More often than not, despite the intensity of these excursions, it's always been worth it and, in a lot of cases, the final destination has more than made up for the journey. Such a scenario occurred on my most recent venture, in which, alongside trusty companions, I finally reached a place that I'd heard good things about, even though the journey itself would be less than straightforward. The place in question might not seem like an obvious place for a pub trip but, as is so often the case, there would be a lot to uncover. This would also mark only the second ever trip for this blog to Greater Manchester, although it certainly won't be the last. Where is this place, that offers such promise in an area with a fearsome beer reputation? I haven't used a pun but I have put it in the title so you don't have to guess. I'm not that cruel. I speak of the town of Rochdale.
Rochdale is a town in Greater Manchester, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wider borough. Rochdale is in the foothills of the South Pennines and lies in the dale (valley) of the River Roch, 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Oldham and 10 miles (16 km) north-east of Manchester.
Rochdale's recorded history begins with an entry in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Recedham Manor, but can be traced back to the 9th century. The ancient parish of Rochdale was a division of the Salford Hundred and one of the larger ecclesiastical parishes in England, comprising several townships. By 1251, the town had become of such importance that it was granted a royal charter.
The town became a centre of northern England's woollen trade and, by the early 18th century, was described as being "remarkable for its many wealthy merchants." In the 19th century, it became a mill town and centre for textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. The town lies within the historic county of Lancashire and was a county borough within it before 1974.The town is recorded as Recedham in the Domesday Book and Rachetham in 1193. Variations of Rechedham continue into the 13th century when the first element's termination is dropped as Rachedam became Racheham. This change was soon followed with the suffix -ham (homestead) changing to -dale (wide valley).Rachdale is recorded as a name for the town in 1242, but may have been used earlier as a name for the valley, Hundred and Parish. The Domesday Book's rendering of the name led Eilert Ekwall to suggest a derivation from reced, an obscure Old English element meaning "hall". Although the name of the river is still pronounced /roʊtʃ/ (with a long vowel sound), Rochdale is pronounced /ˈrɒtʃdeɪl/ (with a shorter o sound).
A Roman road, leading from Mamucium (Manchester) to Eboracum (York), crossed the moors at Blackstone Edge. Rochdale was subjected to incursions by the Danes; the castle that Castleton is named after, and of which no trace remains, was one of twelve Saxon forts possibly destroyed in frequent conflicts that occurred between the Saxons and Danes during the 10th and 11th centuries. At the time of the Norman Conquest, the manor was held by a Saxon thegn, Gamel. Rochdale appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Recedham and was described as lying within the hundred of Salford and the county of Cheshire. At that time, Rochdale was under the lordship of Roger the Poitevin. Before 1212, Henry II granted the manor to Roger de Lacy, whose family retained it as part of the Honour of Clitheroe until it passed to the Dukes of Lancaster by marriage and then to the Crown by 1399. In medieval times, weekly markets were held from 1250 when Edmund de Lacy obtained a grant for a market and an annual fair. John Byron bought the manor in 1638 and it was sold by the poet, Lord Byron, to the Deardens in 1823, who hold the title. Rochdale did not have a manor house but the Orchard, built in 1702 and acquired in 1745 by Simon Dearden, was the home of the lords of the manor after 1823. It was described as "a red-brick building of no architectural distinction, on the north side of the river opposite the town hall" and sometimes referred to as the Manor House. It was demolished in 1922.
Rochdale is a product of the Industrial Revolution,] though the manufacture of woollen cloth, particularly baize, kerseys and flannels, was locally important as far back as the 1500s. At that time, the textile industry was rooted in the domestic system but, towards the end of the 18th century, mills powered by water started to appear.
Water power was replaced by steam power in the 19th century and local coal became important. The Deardens who were lords of the manor were among the local coal mine owners. By the mid-1800s, the woollen trade was declining and the cotton trade was rapidly growing in importance. Cotton manufacturing took advantage of new technological developments in spinning and weaving. In 1804, the Rochdale Canal opened, providing the first link over the Pennines between Lancashire and Yorkshire. During the 19th century, Rochdale became one of the world's most prominent cotton processing towns rising to prominence and becoming a major centre for textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution. It was a boomtown of the Industrial Revolution and was amongst the first ever industrialised towns. By the end of the 19th century, Rochdale had woollen mills, silk manufacturers, bleachers and dyers, though cotton spinning and weaving were the dominant industries in the community. Turner & Newall was founded in Rochdale in 1871 to produce cotton-based mechanical packing, and in 1879 it became the first business in the United Kingdom to weave asbestos cloth with power-driven machinery. The socioeconomic change brought by the success of Rochdale's textile industry in the 19th century led to its rise to borough status and it became an important regional town based upon this economic success. The Rochdale Pioneers opened the first Co-operative shop in Toad Lane in 1844. The reformer and Member of Parliament, John Bright (1811–1889), was born in Rochdale and gained a reputation as a leader of political dissent and supporter of the Anti-Corn Law League.
By the middle of the 20th century, Rochdale's economy was in decline, reflecting the broader economic situation in other textile manufacturing towns in North West England. This decline was largely driven by the global availability of cheaper textile product offerings from abroad. During the 1950s and 1960s, Rochdale's lack of a diverse economic base became very apparent, with the closure of numerous textile manufacturing facilities. Textile manufacturing did remain a major contributor to the local economy, even into the 1970s. Regionally, numerous companies still have some connection to the textile industry.
Former industrial towns, especially one of the importance and size of Rochdale, often provide successful pub trips. I was hopeful that this would again be one of those occasions. I would not be alone in this endeavour though. I had company and that company took the form of Dog and John, who previously both accompanied me on the Barnsley trip earlier in the year, and who were both very excited at the prospect of what Rochdale had to offer. The pubs would be the easy part. Getting there would not be so simple. Given its location on the other side of Manchester, from our perspective, you likely wouldn't be shocked to learn that there are no direct trains to Rochdale from Nottingham. This meant that we would first have to get the train to Manchester, transfer to another Manchester station and then continue our journey from there. The weather would add another layer of difficulty to proceedings. We could not have picked a worse day. Weeks of hot, dry weather finally broke into a veritable deluge across the country, with weather warnings in place for flash flooding, heavy rain and travel delays. Still, we weren't about to let a potential watery apocalypse stand in our way. We squeezed our way onto the 9.45 service from Nottingham to Manchester Piccadilly. Anyone that's ever travelled this route will be aware of the sheer majesty of the scenery as the train slices through the Peak District and then the moors on the other side of the Pennines. We arrived in Manchester less than two hours later, a few minutes behind schedule. Our original plan was to hop on a train from Piccadilly to Manchester Victoria, but that plan was soon scuppered when we were informed that no such train would be running. Handily, Manchester is blessed with an excellent tram network. Two trams later and we'd made it to Victoria. We'd decided to wait to get the tickets from Manchester to Rochdale on the day and that was what we did now. The next available train was a few minutes away so we navigated our way to the platform to await our carriage to our target destination. We were behind time by this point and it was slashing it down with rain. Less seasoned explorers may have given up the ghost there and then but we were not to be deterred. A few minutes later, we were on our second train of the day and, less than 15 minutes later, we had arrived in a very grey and wet Rochdale, although the rain had lessened slightly. Rochdale railway station is situated a few minutes walk from the town centre, because of course it is, but we were happy enough to walk it given that there would be liquid reward at the end to make our trek worthwhile. A note about the route that I'd put together: the layout of Rochdale means that a lot of its pubs are very close together, right in the centre of town. We would begin our investigations here and then venture out to a couple of venues that are slightly further afield, before making our way back to the station for the trip home.
Making our way out of Rochdale station, we immediately headed down Maclure Street. This shortly after merges with Drake Street, where we took a right and then crossed over. A few yards further on, having missed our initial turning, we took a left onto School Lane and continued on. This eventually brought us to Church Lane, in the shadow of St. Chad's parish church. Our quickest route to our first pub stop was through the churchyard and then down a set of stone steps that lead from the church to the Town Square. These steps are blessed with handrails, which makes them much easier to navigate. Not only are the steps steep and uneven but, given the wet weather, they were very treacherous, not helped by the fact that we were going down and not up. However, we completed our descent without incident and found ourselves in sight of beery salvation. We had arrived on Packer Street, opposite Rochdale's large and architecturally impressive town hall. Our first couple of locations are virtually opposite. It was already almost 1pm by this stage and we were all desperate for refreshment, amongst other things. Our first stop would be the Flying Horse Hotel.
Originally opened in 1691, the Flying Horse sits on what was once Rochdale's most dangerous street, probably due to those bloody steps. By 1819, a dwelling house, brew house, garden and cottage all occupied the site, all leased to innkeeper James Whitbread. Throughout its history, it has also operated as a post office and court house. Rochdale's first Revision Court was held in the building in 1854, and the Magistrate's Court sat here for many years until relocating in that same year. The original building was demolished in 1923, with the present structure reopening in 1926 with James Berry at the helm. Three stories high, it featured a smoke room, commercial room, bar and parlour on the ground floor. A first floor dining room faced out onto Town Hall Square and 6 second floor bedrooms boasted, for the time, all mod cons, including electric lights and heating. After a spell as The Sports, the building reverted to the original name. Nowadays, the Flying Horse Hotel is the oldest freehouse in the town and has built a strong reputation for both live music and its beer, and is listed in the 2026 Good Beer Guide. It was also awarded Greater Manchester Pub of the Year by the local CAMRA branch in both 2018 and 2019. This seemed like the perfect place to begin our exploration of this fascinating town. We must have looked a right state as we staggered in out of the rain, sopping wet and in need of rejuvenation. Entering through the front door leads directly through into the bar area. One single room is divided up into distinct areas. An area of seating occupies space directly opposite the bar. The central section is partly partitioned off, making the adjacent areas feel more comfortable. A smaller snug style space is located to one side. The toilets are over in one corner, to the left of the bar as you face it. A door in this area leads to an upstairs function room. The interior is a mix of contemporary and traditional. Lots of original architectural features remain, including leaded windows, ceiling beams and decorative glass. The furniture is a mix of high and low chairs and stools, with wooden tables. The flooring is a mixture of carpet and wood. Pump clips adorn the ceiling beams, reflecting the quantity of beers sold. Floral wallpaper, mirrors, artefacts and historic photos of the town complete the decor. The bar faces directly into the centre of the room and is certainly well-stocked, as befitting its reputation. A whopping 12 handpulls can be found here. Pleasingly, all of them were in use on the day and we had a substantial selection to choose from: Bang the Elephant Never Wrong, Kirkstall Nectar, RT Talon, Beartown SB Bitter, Vocation Bread & Butter, Pictish Motueka, Phoenix Arizona Gold, Ossett White Rate, Titanic Gulp!, Lancashire Best Bitter, Wakey Wakey Cruckled and Wakey Wakey Slumber. As you can see, that's a lot to be getting on with. After some perusal, we made our choices. I went for a half of Talon, Dog opted for a half of the Lancashire Best and John went for a half of Slumber. All told, the round came to £5.80. Not a bad start at all! We retreated to the snug, took turns going to the toilet, and then finally settled in to enjoy our first beer of the day and share our relief that we'd finally arrived. We started with a bang! The beer here was excellent. Whether it was the feeling of refreshment after such a long journey or not, the beers we had here really hit the spot. The Talon (4.0%), from Rochdale's own RT Brewing, is billed as an American pale ale. It certainly did the job. Citrus and stone fruit flavours give way to a dry, bitter finish and it definitely went down very easily. Dog and John were similarly appreciative of their respective beverages. The Flying Horse Hotel is a cracking place to drop into for a beer. The sheer quantity available means there is something for everyone and it also boasts impressive views across to the imposing town hall. There are much much worse places to visit. All in all, it had been a very good start to our day in Rochdale and we were eager to see what else was in store.
Conveniently, we wouldn't have long to find out as our second stop of the day can be found a couple of doors down. Our attention now turned to the Courtyard.
Another tall, imposing, stone building, the Courtyard is another Rochdale pub that was previously used as a courthouse, hence the name. Now operated by Stonegate, under its Craft Union arm, it prides itself on being a popular, no-nonsense venue, and was previously a branch of Yates's. Inside, its previous legal life can still be seen in its high ceilings and open-plan layout. A large servery sits towards the back of the room. A small area of high tables and stools is directly in front of this. Raised areas either side of the door provide additional seating, with one also featuring a pool table. Adjacent to the bar is another seating area, this time of comfortable booths laid out under tall, high windows. The floor is mostly laminate. A dartboard and fruit machine are available and there are several large TVs throughout, usually showing sport. Lighting is bright and the room is large and airy. The toilets are accessed through a door to one side and, according to Dog, are a bit of a trek away. This is a different prospect altogether from our first stop. Beer-wise, we found ourselves in a quandary. Despite the presence of two handpulls on the bar, these were not being utilised and the keg selection is all macro brands. However, Murphy's Irish stout was available so we settled for 3 halves of that, which somehow only came to £5.40. We grabbed a high table in the centre of the room from which to peruse our surroundings. The Courtyard in general is a well-appointed pub that knows its audience. If you're looking for reasonably priced drinks and food and a place to watch the football, this is exactly the place for you. Whilst there's no real ale available, at least on that particular day, they serve a cracking drop of Murphy's, at least when they can find glasses that don't have lipstick on them. Still, our stay here was a generally pleasant one and gave us more of an insight into Rochdale's drinking scene.
With our halves drained, we set out again. The rain had abated for now but the grey skies showed no signs of shifting. Regardless, we pushed on, heading towards the town centre proper, where we would find several very different venues in close proximity. Turning right out of the Courtyard, we turned right again and headed down Fleece Street. This runs along to join Drake Street, where we then emerged to see our next location just over the road. Next up, Moody Blue.
Originally a manor house belonging to a wealthy wool merchant, the building dates from around 1750 and is now Grade II listed. In 1810, it became the Duke of Wellington Hotel, operating as Rochdale's leading coaching inn for many years. It is now an independent pub directly opposite the central tram stop. Entering through the front door takes you through a set of impressive stained glass doors, before you pass into the interior of the pub. A small room to the left features tables, a fireplace and a small TV. Directly opposite the entrance is the main bar. This is small and positioned slightly off-centre. The toilets are located through an adjacent door. A wall opposite the bar is adorned with memorabilia from Rochdale AFC. A larger room to the other side features settles, high stools and wooden tables. A mixture of tiling and bare wood makes up the floor design. The interior is painted in shades of white and light blue (obviously). There is a dartboard, a fruit machine, beer posters and adverts, as well as photos of the local area. The soundtrack is primarily classic rock. The bar features 2 handpulls and it was nice to see them both in use, offering a choice between Timothy Taylor Landlord and J. W. Lees Boddingtons. As I'd yet to try the resurrected cask version of Boddingtons, I went for a half of that. Dog went for a half of Landlord, whilst John decided on a half of Lilley's Pineapple cider, all at a total cost of £6.70. We made our way into the rear room to enjoy our drinks. Moody Blue is again a different concept but it seems to work. It's got the location and decor of a town centre pub but the feel of something more relaxed. It serves good beer too. The cask Boddingtons (4.0%) was in great shape! I'd definitely give it a go again. It's smooth, slightly creamy and with a delicate bitterness.
As mentioned previously, many of Rochdale's town centre pubs are in the same vicinity. In reality, they basically form a semi-circle on the edge of town, facing in the general direction of the town hall, in an area known as The Butts. The River Roch runs under the road near here, and can be viewed from bridges that join both sides of the road. Given the proximity of our next few locations, we would end up going through them fairly quickly. Our next stop is a few short yards from Moody Blue and would be the first micropub of the day. Time now for the Lucky Duck.
Located on a corner plot, the Lucky Duck is a two-floored micropub. The ground floor features the bar, made from reclaimed wood, along most of one side, with converted barrel tables, and stools as seating, located opposite. A staircase in the corner leads up to the first floor, where you will find a pool table and additional seating. The windows on both floors overlook the street out the front. Toilets are upstairs too. The decor here is fantastic. As well as leaning into the name with a myriad of small ducks lined up behind the bar, and duck-themed posters throughout, there are nods to pop culture too. Artwork depicting musicians, and song-themed artefacts are present too, including two guitars mounted above the bar. The staircase features a TARDIS painted on one landing and a rather sinister Dalek mural standing guard at the very top. It's a very quirky place, with a laidback and fun atmosphere. We were here for the beer too. 3 handpumps occupy the bar here. On the day in question, they were offering a choice between Phoenix Porter, Craven Yakima Valley IPA and Saltaire Raspberry Blonde. I was unfamiliar with the work of Craven brewery, based in Keighley, so opted for a half of theirs. John went for a half of the Saltaire, with Dog, after returning from photographing street art in the nearby side street, went for a half of Brennan's stout. The round came to £6.80. This is a delightful addition to Rochdale's pub scene, adding a modern touch amongst the more traditional venues. It's recently been taken over by new owners who seem determined to continue the quirkiness and certainly provide a very warm welcome. It helps with the experience when the beer is great and it positively is here. At 4.4%, the Yakima Valley IPA is big on flavour and bitterness. West Coast in style, the bitter notes match up perfectly with big flavours of citrus and a pronounced fruity hop aroma. It's a very good beer indeed. The Lucky Duck is definitely not out of its depth. It's a great place to enjoy a beer, especially when the weather is, as the saying goes, nice weather for ducks.
Back out into the grey day we would go now, but only to travel a few feet. Our next stop was literally a stone's throw away. Next up: Hogarth's.
Another massive building, this pub, part of the North West based Hogarth's chain, is the result of a bank conversion. An extensive refurbishment has repurposed it for pub use whilst retaining many of its original features. The front entrance pillars and staircase lead through into an open plan main room, with the bar, formerly the banking counter, to the left. The rest of the main room is given over to seating. The high ceilings and internal pillars have been retained, as has the jail cell style door to the former vault, which is now a dedicated room for darts. A couple of smaller rooms off of the main room feature more seating and partitions that divide them from the central space. Plush furnishings and comfortable seating make up the rest of the furniture. This was far the busiest pub of the day at this point, with plenty of locals and regulars in attendance. We made our way to the bar to investigate our options. Happily, there are two handpumps here too and these were offering Moorhouse Blond Witch and Theakston XB. I went for a half of the latter. Dog and John went for a half each of Murphy's with our round coming to a suspiciously cheap £4.75. Having been told off for attempting to go into the darts room until we explained that we just wanted a photo of Dog 'in jail', we instead slunk away into one of the smaller areas. This is a strange place. Whilst there's nothing overtly wrong with it, there's just a sense that the atmosphere could change at any time. For such a big space, it seems weirdly devoid of character. Even the features that remain from its time as a bank don't really add the sort of appeal that things like that normally would. I've only ever been to one other Hogarth's, in Ilkeston, and I can't really remember much about it which, in and of itself, should be a warning sign. Still, the beer was cheap and it was in good nick so it could have been much worse.
Despite our disappointment at Hogarth's, things were about to right themselves quite quickly. Our next destination is, once again, mere metres from our last and I was convinced that it would not disappoint. Our second micropub of the day was Our Gracie's.
Opened in December 2023, this micropub sits pretty much in the heart of the town centre. Good Beer Guide 2026 listed, it is also the current local CAMRA Cider Pub of the Year, both impressive feats for a pub of such a young age. It is named after and commemorates Dame Gracie Fields, the legendary music hall and West End star of the early-mid 20th century. She was born in Rochdale, as Grace Stansfield, in 1898 and had a long and successful career as an actress, singer and comedian until her death, on the island of Capri, in 1979. The Gracie worship is obvious as soon as you enter. One wall is decorated with memorabilia of her life and career, including a huge black and white photo. The bar occupies a space at one end of a single room. Bare wood floors and a high ceiling encompass exposed brickwork with banquette seating and a number of small tables scattered throughout. A small room to the rear features shelves of books and magazines and is decorated with posters from Gracie's career. Vinyl records are hung on the wall, alongside various drinks posters. There is a games machine to one side, next to a fridge that holds a wealth of boxed ciders. Hop flowers, British flags, festoon lights and spots of greenery complete the look. The bar is similarly welcoming. 5 handpulls can be found here, with a variety of options, many of them local. On the day our choices were Northern Whisper Oppenchops, Pictish Alchemist's Ale, Whitworth Valley Shout Out to My Ex, Whitworth Valley Summertime Brews and Eagle's Crag Eagle Feather. I chose a half of Alchemist's Ale, with Dog going for the Shout Out to My Ex and John for the Summertime Brews. In total, our round came to £4.50. We took a table by the window and absorbed this place. It's an absolutely cracking little pub! The ambience and the welcome are sensational. It's comfortable and clean and somewhere that it would be easy to lose hours at a time, particularly when the soundtrack was nothing but 80s. The beer is also top drawer. It's very easy to see why this place is so highly regarded. Alchemist's Ale (4.3%) is the product of Rochdale's own Pictish. It's a session bitter with aromas of malt leading to some sweetness and culminating in a hoppy bitterness. All in all, it's a cracking beer. And this is a belter of a venue. Up to this point, Our Gracie's was my pub of the day. Would it claim the crown? Stay tuned.
Those who have read my Barnsley blog from earlier in the year may remember the chippy, Mother Hubbard's that we visited for food. Well, there's a branch of the chain in Rochdale too and it happens to be over the road so we would now take the opportunity of a much needed food break. Once we were suitably full of spicy chips and had regained a bit of our momentum, it was time to crack on for the second half of our trip. Our next location, whilst only a short distance away, promised something very different, even when compared to the wide variety of venues we'd visited already. With a few minutes until it was due to open, we took the long way around to get to it, venturing up Yorkshire Street until we spotted the covered entrance to The Butts Avenue. Of course we took photos of the name. Heading up this passageway, we were soon on Bailie Street and had arrived mere moments before the next location opened. On now, to the Bull on the Brow.
This rather nondescript shop front is hiding a big secret. Everything you see in the photo, with the exception of the door to the left, is a facade. The shop window is a fake and has been painted on. The real treasure is behind the door, as we would soon discover. The proprietor of said establishment soon arrived and bade us entry. A flight of stairs leads down into a very unique and unusual location indeed. The Bull on the Brow is in fact a bar but it's a bar located in some pre-existing cellars underneath businesses above. There are no windows and no light from the outside. What there are instead are a series of interconnected rooms, occupying space in brick built cellar tunnels, some of which have arched roofs. A mishmash of furniture is scattered throughout, from high tables and stools, to picnic style benches to upholstered wingback armchairs. There is subtle lighting from repurposed chandeliers and fairy lights, bookcases in alcoves, portraits on the walls, original beams, exposed brickwork, original, low wooden doors, a dartboard and, throughout, a feeling of being let in on hidden knowledge. It's equal parts speakeasy and traditional beer cellar. To say it took us by surprise would be massively underselling it. The bar is to the left as you come down the stairs, occupying much of the back wall of one of the larger rooms. The toilets are off a corridor behind this. Mind the step as you enter the bar area. It's higher than it looks, as John soon found out. Given the location of this place, it should come as no surprise that there is no cask ale present. What there is though, is something that makes this place stand out even more. This is a specialist Belgian beer bar. A row of keg taps offers a fine selection of Belgian beers on draught, something you'd be forgiven for not expecting to find in a town such as Rochdale. Once we'd gotten over our initial sense of wonder, we finally got around to having a look at the beer choice. I went for De Koninck Bolleke, a Belgian pale ale. Dog and John both opted for halves of some of the other options. In total, 3 halves from the range available came to £7.75. We had a nice chat with the guy on duty and he was explaining how the pub came to be and how business was in general. The beer was as good as you'd expect from somewhere like this. If you didn't know you were in a Greater Manchester mill town you can easily imagine that you'd wondered into a bar in Bruges or Brussels. Not that I've experienced the bars of either as yet. One day perhaps. Still, this was a pleasant and unexpected surprise, given a slight metal element by the distressed buzzing of a fly trapped in a fly strip in the gents. Not only was it distracting whilst trying to use the facilities but the whole effect was like being trapped in an Aphex Twin video.
The Bull on the Brow had been a real highlight but now we had to move on. Our next two scheduled stops, Pint Pot and White Lion had both been due to reopen on the day of our visit, following refurbs. However, we were reliably informed by our host that this had failed to happen in both cases, as work was behind schedule. Instead, we jumped forward to another stop, one that I was expecting very good things from. Retracing our steps up Butts Avenue, we turned right onto Yorkshire Street, which winds slightly uphill, passing a mural of the singer Lisa Stansfield, who was also born in the town. Fun fact: despite having the same last name as Gracie Fields, and being born in the same town, they are not related. Other people from Rochdale include a girl I used to work with who thought wolves didn't exist but that Middle Earth was a real place. I sometimes wonder what she did at school. Having passed the mural, we then took a left down an adjacent alleyway, heading in the direction of The Baum. Emerging on Hunter's Lane, we spotted St. Mary's Church, elevated on a patch of ground opposite. Crossing the road, we made our way to the adjacent Toad Lane. Here you will find the Rochdale Pioneers Museum, which occupies part of a building that was the UK's first ever Co-Op. More importantly for our purposes, you will also find a pub, The Baum.
Located in the heritage part of Rochdale, the Baum has taken on something approaching legendary status. Not only is it listed in the 2026 Good Beer Guide but it's also a winner of CAMRA's National Pub of the Year award, taking the title back in 2012. Despite its location and its outward appearance, the pub is not as old as it first looks. It was formerly a hardware store and was only converted to a pub in the 1980s. Regardless of its relatively young age, the look and feel of the place gives the impression of a well-established historic boozer. Upon entering, you are immediately greeted by a curved bar counter. To the right of this, there is a snug with settles and wooden furniture on a bare wood floor. This extends towards the rear, onto flagstone flooring. A door at the end of this section leads to the toilets. A small raised area sits opposite the bar, featuring further seating and a view out into the main room. A well-appointed, decent-sized garden is to the rear, featuring benches and greenery. Just don't get stuck outside like I almost did and be careful with the door. The interior is chock-full of breweriana, from old signs, posters, bric-a-brac and artefacts, to pump clips from both British and international brands covering the wall in one area. There is exposed brickwork, wooden beams, glass panelling, ornate floral lampshades, much wood and a red stucco ceiling. There is a restaurant upstairs, accessed through a separate door off of the bar area. Entering the Baum truly feels like going back in time. If you're wondering about the name, which I'm sure you are, it reflects the local pronunciation of 'balm', a reference to when lemon balm grew wild in the area. I was very much looking forward to this place. All the research I'd done prior to the trip had this place highly recommended by almost everybody. It was time to put that to the test. On the bar, you will find 8 handpulls. On the day, 6 of these were in use, with two occupied by cider in the form of Tricky Elderflower and Thistly Cross Mango. The beer options were Riverhead Tunnel End Gold, Bang the Elephant Take the Long Road, Green Mill Northern Lights and Kirkstall Nectar. I selected a half of Northern Lights, Dog went for a half of Tunnel End Gold and John opted for a half of the mango cider, all at a total cost of £7.25. We made our way into the raised area. Before a drop of beer had even touched my lips, I was absolutely blown away by this place. For a pub that's only been around for less than half a century, there's a real feeling of nostalgia and old worldliness about it. Every item adds character to it and the feel of the place is one of a proper pub, done well and revelling in the success that that brings, whilst also not bigging itself up too much. This is a wonderful pub, one of those that will leave an impression on me for a long time. Even writing this up a fortnight later, The Baum is the first pub I remember when I reminisce about Rochdale. Tasting the beer only confirmed my opinion. Green Mill are another local brewery, formerly of Rochdale but now based in Hyde. Northern Lights (4.5%) is pale in colour but with big hop notes and floral aromas. It's easy drinking, refreshing and, to be honest, bloody glorious! All of which only added to my sense of joy and satisfaction at visiting The Baum. I'd probably go back to Rochdale just to visit this place again to be perfectly honest.
As much as the pub itself isn't particularly old, the area in which it sits certainly is, and that includes the church of St. Mary, located opposite. The pub has no strange or unusual stories linked directly to it, despite being next to the spot from which the Rochdale Ghost Walk departs. The church, however, is a different story. St. Mary-in-the-Baum, to give it its full name, has a unique place in local folklore as the residence of a particularly unusual creature. This is alleged to be a 'boggart' or a 'bogey', both local names for a malevolent spirit, often one linked to a specific area of land. In this case, this boggart takes the form of a large, white rabbit with glowing red eyes, the appearance of which has given it the nickname the 'Baum Rabbit'. It has been reported, and feared, in the churchyard and surrounding lanes since the 18th century. Appearing as an unnaturally large and unnaturally clean white rabbit, it is known to terrify passers-by, as well as animals, before disappearing suddenly and even surviving being shot at by a frightened victim, whose shot seemed to pass straight through the animal. Even in the present day, the rabbit's presence is used as a deterrent for unruly children. Real or not, the Baum Rabbit, whatever it may be, is a fascinating addition to the town's folklore.
Moving away from phantom leporids and back to more physical realms, and we had two pubs left on our Rochdale tour. Both of them were walkable within a few minutes but, primarily to save our legs, but also to save time, we decided to rely on Uber for the rest of the afternoon. A few short minutes later, we were winging our way to our next stop. I say 'winging' but it was more like 'crawling' as we negotiated roadworks, badly timed traffic lights and even worse drivers but, before too long, we were pulling up in the vicinity of our next location. Next on the agenda was the Twisted Mule Brewery & Taproom.
At the junction of Mellor Street and Edenfield Road, in the Spotland area of the town, this restored cotton mill is now the home of several local businesses, including a spirits distillery, a cafe and, our destination, the Twisted Mule brewery. The name is an allusion to the 'Spinning Jenny', which revolutionised cotton milling during the Industrial Revolution. Inside, the vibe is all stripped back brickwork and iron columns that reflect the building's prior use. A small bar is surrounded by an eclectic mix of furniture, in keeping with the surroundings. Brewing vessels occupy space in one corner, underneath a mural of the brewery logo. The bar is equipped with spirits, wines, a small keg selection, a bank of 4 handpulls, and a small pizza oven. The toilets can be found in an adjoining corridor. There are a number of TVs throughout, used for major events. The aforementioned handpumps feature all Twisted Mule products, in a range of styles. On the day of our visit, we were faced with Twistin' My Melon, Pioneer Spirit, Stan's Best Bitter and Nick's No Nonsense. I chose a half of Twistin' My Melon, Dog went for a half of Nick's No Nonsense and John contented himself with a half of Hawkstone cider. Total cost: £6.70. We took a table towards the far side of the room and tuned ourselves into the rock soundtrack, which at that point in time was playing The Stranglers. For such a small space, impressive use has been made of the footprint. Nothing feels forced, squashed in or out of place. The high ceiling gives a deceptive impression of the size of the room and the whole environment is friendly and welcoming, helped by the knowledgeable staff. The beer is another strong point. Twistin' My Melon (4.3%) is a pale ale. Huell Melon hops add a punchy fruity flavour on top of tropical hop notes. There are much worse beers to be drinking and much less impressive places to drink them than in a restored cotton mill with the disused chimney reaching for the leaden sky above.
With these drinks done, it was onto the next. Our final stop in Rochdale would be a place with a reputation, albeit for many different reasons. Another Uber ride took us deeper into Spotland, passed the football ground of Rochdale AFC and towards the cemetery. We had one reason for being in this area of the town. We were headed for the Cemetery Hotel.
The final Good Beer Guide 2026 listed venue on our itinerary for the day is this Grade II listed beauty opposite the main cemetery. No prizes for guessing where it's name comes from. Built in the 1850s the structure occupies a prominent position at a busy road junction. It's inside where things get really exciting. The Cemetery Hotel is listed on CAMRA's Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, and for very good reason. Art-Nouveau tiling and glasswork are prominent throughout. The drinking lobby is entered via mosaic flooring which features the name of the pub in the entrance flooring. The majority of the interior is unchanged since the Edwardian period. Panels and friezes, in shades of green, blue and orange dominate the entrance porch and lobby. A parlour room to the left features booth-style seating areas, created with the use of mahogany baffles. This room also includes a distinctive fireplace, as well as an original etched window. A much plainer room to the right of the entrance has wood-block flooring and some fixed seating as well as tables and chairs. The snug also features fixed seating but has a replacement fireplace. The bar counter sits roughly in the centre of the building, at the heart of the drinking lobby, and features an original bar counter with a modern bar back. Glazed panels above this are also thought to be original. The toilets can be found off of this area, to the right. In and amongst all the decorative wonder, you will find 7 handpulls on the bar, 4 of these being in use when we were there. Our choices were Timothy Taylor Landlord, Lancashire Best Bitter, Timothy Taylor Blonde and Pictish Brewers Gold. A half of Landlord for me, another half of the Best for Dog and a half of Aspall for John came to £6.35. We made our into the room to the right of the door. Coming here had been worth the wait. If The Baum feels older than it is, then the Cemetery Hotel reflects its age. The original features and the feeling of time standing still lend an air of comfort and also unease about the place. It's a lovely building, and it generates the urge to explore it deeper and peel back the layers of time that have enveloped it. This is an absolute must-visit of a pub, for the historical features if nothing else. But, I would urge you to have a beer. It's kept wonderfully. The Landlord was in fantastic condition. This pub is in fantastic condition. It's a real gem. The fact that the original interior has been more or less preserved and retained, certainly adds to the ambience and the feeling of peering back through history. Perhaps this explains the stories. After all, an unchanged pub opposite a cemetery must have some spooky tales attached to it, right? You would be correct. And then some. The pub would often be the final stop for funeral hearses on their way to the cemetery. The pub itself once housed Flemish horses in a stable to the back. Though the horses are long gone, and the stables no longer in use, more than one visitor has reported the sound of stamping hooves and the rattling of harness chains late at night, coming roughly from the area where the stables were once located. The figure of a tall man in a Victorian frock coat and a top hat has been seen on many occasions, either sitting in the corner or staring out of the window in the direction of the cemetery. Nobody knows who he is but he continues to make an appearance. Local folklore speaks of the tradition of the 'dead man's glass', a glass of beer left out overnight for any spirits that may be passing through. The story goes that, should the glass be empty by morning, a departed soul has visited. Drivers using the Bury Road, right outside the pub, have reported a woman in white suddenly appearing on the pavement and walking towards the pub door before vanishing. Staff have reported the sounds of barrels moving around in the cellar at night but, upon inspection, nothing appears out of place. One of the strangest tales comes from the 1930s. A man checked in for the night. The next morning, there was no sign of him. His bed was untouched, no name had been recorded for him and, most bizarrely, the room that he'd checked into was locked from the inside. Spooky stuff all round, I think you'll agree. Our brief stay went undisturbed by anything ethereal, more's the pity. We left with our hearts full and set about acquiring another Uber, this time back to the station. We were leaving Rochdale in our dust, and what a visit it had been. We weren't quite done yet though.
Having made our way successfully back to the station, it wasn't long before we were on the train heading back to Manchester Victoria. We then faced the slightly arduous task of getting from Victoria back to Piccadilly. We changed tack this time. Boarding the tram, we got off slightly earlier, at Piccadilly Gardens. We decided that a stroll through the Northern Quarter would get us to Piccadilly in no more time than staying on the tram would have done, and so we set out to do just that. On the way, we passed several venues that will absolutely feature in a future Manchester trip, whenever I get around to sorting that out. Eventually, we arrived in close proximity to Piccadilly station but still with a bit of time to kill before our train. Time for one last half? Go on then. Our pre-train side quest took us to the Piccadilly Tap.
The Piccadilly Tap opened in 2015, in what was once a shop unit. Spread over two stories, its location close to the station makes it a perfect stopping off point, either before or after a train. The ground floor features an unusually shaped bar counter, almost island in design, in the centre of the room, with some stools at the bar and seating around the edge of the room, as well as plenty of standing space. Upstairs is a more settled area of bench seating, a pool table and the toilets, as well as a terrace that overlooks the street. The cellar is also located upstairs. A live train time board located on the wall in the downstairs room is certainly a helpful device. Decor is minimal, lighting is subtle and the beer choice is vast. As well as an impressive keg range, there are 6 handpulls here, with a real mix of styles available. On the day, we were treated to the following choices: Abbeydale Daily Bread, Mallinsons Wappy Nick, Big Trip Mu Mu Land, Bradfield Farmers Blonde, Buxton Deepdale and Adnams Mango Gelato. For my last beverage of this truly magical mystery tour, I opted for the Mu Mu Land. A half, plus a half of Bitburger for Dog and a half of some sort of ginger beer for John came to £9.00, reflecting the price disparity between big cities and smaller towns. Still, the stop off was worth it. Mu Mu Land (4.0%), from Manchester's own Big Trip is a gorgeous milk porter. Smooth and creamy, it's also very rich and brings toffee notes and roasted coffee. Imagine profiteroles in a glass and you're about there. A perfect beer to wrap the trip up, even if this last stop was unplanned. If nothing else though, it offers a sneak peek for the future.
Before long, we were back on the train, chugging our way back across the country, through tunnels, hills and dales and, as it turned out, into the heart of a lightning storm back in Nottingham. The dramatic light show somehow seemed like the perfect climax to what had been a brilliant day. I had had my concerns that, after all the effort of the outbound journey, that Rochdale would turn out to be a (literally) damp squib. That could not have been further from the truth. The words 'hidden gem' are somewhat overused, and often in these very pages. Certainly there's nothing hidden about Rochdale. It wears its heart on its sleeve. Its pubs are diverse, unique and very very special. Towns like this are often underrated, off the radar, overlooked. No more. Rochdale deserves to be on the list for every likeminded beer blogger, ale aficionado or pub crawler. I didn't know what to expect. I expected satisfactory. I didn't prepare for fantastic. But, in truth, Rochdale is. Its understated history is the perfect counterpoint to its rich variety of drinking venues. However hard it is to get to, at least from this part of the country, the effort is more than worth it for the things you'll find. We left Rochdale thoroughly impressed and visited pubs that will stay with me for a long time. Away from the bright lights of Manchester, this town is a fledgling beer powerhouse, plugging away under its own terms. Mark my words, it's well worth crossing the Pennines for.
Pub of the Day: The Baum. Cracking pub, with wonderful beer and a masterclass in nostalgia
Honourable mention: It's a tie. The Cemetery Hotel is a fantastic historic pub with proper traditional beer done right. Our Gracie's is an excellent micropub, that pays homage to a legend and knocks out cracking beer as well.
Beer of the Day: Northern Lights by Green Mill. Fantastic!
Biggest surprise: Bull on the Brow. A Belgian beer bar in some old cellars behind a fake shop front? Bonkers but brilliant.
