THE Shrewsbury Arms is around 350 years old, and during the 1820s and 1830s, it was believed to have been called the Bear’s Paw with John Livesley as the licensee.

During the 1840s it is shown only as a beer shop owned by a Mary Smith but still a working dairy farm.

Northwich Guardian:

Shrewsbury Arms in 1900

The Earl of Shrewsbury purchased it with other lands in 1872 and the name changed to the present one, the first known licensee was John Hopley who ran it from 1872 to 1875.

In 1907 Frederick Rutter purchased it and was then the licensee until 1924.

Northwich Guardian:

Shrewsbury Arms in 2014

The pub stayed in the Rutter family until 1945 when Harold Rutter was the licensee.

In 1940 it changed hands for the final time when Robinson’s Brewery purchased it.

The public rooms are quite small, well kept and cosy, an ideal place for a romantic tête-à-tête with the love of your life!

Northwich Guardian:

Pesto at Cabbage Hall

In the winter, this is made even more attractive with an open log fire, old pictures and open beams add to the ambience. Good food is available.

Our second pub is the Cabbage Hall on Forest Road, a pub that had a tailor as the first licensee in 1857. Accordingly, the pub was named after an item of cloth. A cabbage in this context was the name given to an offcut of cloth that was left over after cutting the material as required.

Northwich Guardian:

Marco Pierre White at Pesto at Cabbage Hall

The building is now an excellent gastro pub called Pesto at Cabbage Hall and has been a gastro pub/restaurant for some time.

Some years ago, I spent an afternoon there, albeit under different management. I was preparing an article in the company of Celebrity Chef, Marco Pierre White who was signing his latest book.

Two different pubs, one a delightful country pub and the other a first-class gastro pub/restaurant, both well worth a visit.

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