A Brief History of the Boycott Arms

The Boycott Arms stands in the manor of Ludstone. Named after Saxon settler Ludi, the stone referred to in the Domesday Book. The Inn predated the date stone above the later ornate entrance.

Formally known as the New Inn, indicating that an old name is being restored to use, the sign had changed again by 1850 to the ‘Talbot’ New Inn an old term for a large hunting dog favoured by the earls of Shrewsbury and featured in their coat of arms.

A wayside Inn on the medieval trade routes linking Dudley and Wellington, turnpiked in 1762 the Talbot was permitted to remain open as long as a bed was empty, offering basic accommodation, food, homebrewed ale, and shelter for the lawful traveller.

Charles Lakin was the first recorded Landlord in the 1820s his son Charles documented in the 1851 census aged 35 victualler and farmer of 85 acres employing 3 men, his wife Catherine 34 and nephew Joseph Thompson 5, they had two servants.

It would appear the tenancy of the Talbot New Inn went with land, Inn keepers Walter Bentley, George Bentley and Tipton born Edward Hodgkinson, 48 who arrived in 1870 all farmed around 90 acres.

A travelling brewer would have been responsible for the Talbot’s ales, brewing as and when necessary. The beer would have been a single style malty mild, heavy dark, sweet and strong, that varied considerably from brew to brew. The average local gravity was 1060 the second highest in England.

Licensing hours were long 18 hours a day, 4am to 10pm seven days a week, closed only during divine service, Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Local magistrates paid an official visit to the Talbot New Inn on 23rd July 1896 and were well pleased, occupier manager was James Smith who had been in possession for 11 years, with 10 rooms upstairs, 5 rooms including club room down stairs and stabling for 7 horses. The rateable value was £20.00 and the owner was Thomas Andrew Wight – Boycott, Rudge Hall.

Sign changes are not uncommon the London Prentice, Pattingham became the Pigott, the Greyhound, Worfield the Davenport, both named after principal landowners, the Talbot New Inn was no exception, changing to The Boycott Arms around 1910.

Squire Thomas Wight- Boycott sold the remainder of the family estate in 1921 the Boycott Arms Inn passed to Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries.

The Old New inn has seen many changes over the centuries, but remains, as originally intended, a social and convivial centre of community.

Past Landlords and Landladies...