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Brewery Street, SWINDON, SN6 7FF

The last remaining pub in Swindon Street, and located on the corner of Swindon Street and Brewery Street, by the roundabout. An Arkells house since the Swindon brewery bought it at long ago as 1862. It had started as a pub in 1840, but its owners, a banking firm from Faringdon, now in Oxfordshire, went bankrupt. The building was originally one of a pair of cottages. It stood next door to another pub called The Malt Shovel. That closed in 1907 and became a sweet shop. Later it was demolished to become part of the Fox Inn's car park. Image Image

This crafty looking fox is in relief against the sign, and seems to spill out of it, giving the sign an unusual almost 3-D effect. Highworth used to be a centre of fox-hunting, and the pub's name probably arose from this. Old tales of Highworth seem to indicate that this was a favourite pub with poachers. Image Image

The Fox Inn has long claimed to be the last pub before the M4, and this claim appears on the food sign on the end wall. Starting from Highworth it's true, as on the direct route from here to the nearest M4 junction, you will not pass another pub. However there are a number of pubs in nearby Stratton St. Margaret, just off that route, which are less miles from that junction, than the Fox Inn is. Image Image

Formerly The Fox public house. The datestone is 1849.

Located on the corner of Swindon Street and The Green.

This small, pleasant area is just off Swindon Street.

A popular Highworth pub, although currently looking a little tired from the outside. It has fortunately survived, when pubs like The Fishes Inn around the corner in Swindon Street, and The White Horse Inn in Lechlade Road have closed in recent years. It used to be an Ushers (of Trowbridge, Wiltshire) pub, and until a few years ago, it had some of their signage outside. The large board on the front used to have the pub's name, but it has been painted out, although it is still on the sign hanging from a wall bracket. The pub is listed in Kelly's Directory of 1848, when it had the same name as at present. In the 1861 census it is shown as being in Towns End, which the road it fronts used to be called. At that time, it was common for publicans to have another job. The publican here, Jonathan Smith, was described as a slater and plasterer. Not only was his wife and six children living with him, but he also had a resident servant. Perhaps she helped to look after the bar. Image Image