The Grapes

The original was built in 1862 and it was sold, together with four others belonging to Mrs. Harding in 1890. It realised £1,200. It had been built for­ward of the building line and created a danger by 1893. It was therefore re­moved and following a road widening was re erected further back.

Once an outlet of Bass Charrington but owned by Robert (Bod) Bowles since 1972 who declared it a free house, changed the sign to "Louis Armstrong" and provided music with his own band.

The original name can still be seen under the centre window.

When he died, Bod's funeral procession was led, New Orleans style, by a jazz band, and followed by a large number of motor-cycles, another of his passions.

The pictures below show this house as it looked in 1983.

Picture Courtesy of Eddie Chard

Picture Courtesy of Eddie Chard

Information on this page taken from Smith (1991)