History of Warwick Pubs

FALCON This pub stood on the corner of Cross Street and Smith Street and was shown on the town map of 1806. 
At that time the owner and landlord was given as Samuel Mander. In the first trade directory of 1828/9 the 
landlord was Thomas Smedley. The next available directory is not until 1835 by which time the pub seems to 
have closed down as it is no longer listed. 

FALCON There is one unconfirmed mention of a pub with the same name having existed in High Street prior to 
1835 according to an index in the County Record Office. 

FLEECE The trade directory of 1862 refers to a carrier, the local stagecoaches, running to Moreton Morrell 
on Saturdays from the Fleece. This is most likely to be an abbreviation for the Golden Fleece which will 
feature in our next edition. 

FLYING HORSE This pub features on the town map of 1788 when it was run by Mrs. Pagett and it is also shown 
on the map of 1806 when its owner is given as James Rose and the landlord as Sam Smith. It is possible that 
this pub went back at least as far as 1735 according to one reference I have found but I have not been able 
to confirm this. Kemp in his "History of Warwick and its People" of 1905 refers to the Flying Horse being 
'on the slope opposite the West side of the Market Hall'.  The trade directory of 1828/9 shows the landlord 
as being Samuel Canning and gives its address as the Market Place. It also records carriers running to 
Bethelem End every Saturday operated by Thomas Parsons; to Harbury and Banbury on Wednesdays and Saturdays 
run by Richard Davis and finally to Radway on Saturdays run by Thomas Power.  The Victoria County History 
records that the demolition of the Flying Horse Inn which had stood opposite the west end of the Market 
House in 1839 further opened up the market space to traffic. 

FORRESTER'S ARMS Originally this pub was listed with the extra R as shown but gradually this was dropped 
to the usual spelling seen on the pub today. It is situated at 47 Crompton Street quite close to the 
Racecourse entrance.  It has existed since at least 1862 but over the next 95 years during which time 
names are given in the trade directories it has had surprisingly few licensees; only 8. 
Daniel Woodward 1862-1874 				George Woodward 1880-1888 
George Boulton 1889 					Charles Maycock 1889-1891 
S. Kightley 1892 					John Smith 1893-1930 
Ernest Smith 1931-1940 					John Frederick Bennett 1941-1956 
George Woodward was listed in 1880 as licensed victualler and maltster. By contrast Charles Maycock in 
1891 is listed simply as manager. It is good to see both the Woodwards and the Smiths keeping the business 
in the family and for John Smith to be in charge for 37 years is impressive. If only you could find that 
sort of continuity these days!  Between 1898 and 1904 there were carriers running daily from the pub but 
unfortunately there is no record of where they ran to.