History of The Weighbridge Inn

Thw Weighbridge Inn The Weighbridge stands adjacent to the original packhorse trail to Bristol, which is now a footpath and bridleway. The road at the front of the Inn became a Turnpike on 24^th May 1822 with the following tolls:

4d For a horse drawing a carriage
1d For a horse
10d For a herd of cattle per score
3d For pigs per score

The innkeeper ran both the weighbridge and the Inn. The weighbridge served the local mills, perhaps mainly the nearby Longfords Mill, which was owned by the Playne family and produced woollen cloth for the clothing industry.

Raw materials were weighed entering the mill and the finished product weighed as it set out on its journey to cities such as Bristol, Bath and London.

Memorabilia from the mill can be found all around the Inn today. Including the large collection of keys.

In 1891 the landlord of the Weighbridge Inn was recorded as Edward Gage, although the owner was Arthur Twisden Playne. It had an annual rateable value of £12.15s.0d.

A relative of Arthur, George Playne established a brewery around this time at Forwood, Minchinhampton and supplied the Inn as well as thirty other tied houses in the area. In time, the brewery was taken over by the larger Stroud Brewery.

The drawing on the cover of the menu was taken from a turn of the century photograph that depicts horse drawn vehicles queuing up to be weighed. The advertisement painted on the wall of the Inn proclaims the virtues of Stroud Brewery Ales with their A.K. best bitter and mild ales available on the premises.

As we find out more about The Weighbridge Inn we will update this section of the website. If you know anything of the history, we would be pleased to hear from you Email: history@2in1Pub.co.uk

The "Weighbridge" MCC Team Trial 3rd July 1948

These pictures were taken by Bill Cole in 1948 and depict the MCC Team Trial of which a main section ran up the old packhourse trail just to the left of the Weighbridge Inn. The pub has a long connection with the trial which still takes place on the original route every year.'

History of The Weighbridge Inn

The "Weighbridge" MCC Team Trial 3rd July 1948

Archive Photographs of Weighbridge Customers