A Brief History of the Bell at Grove
The earliest recorded reference to The Bell at Grove is from 1738 when it was known as the Bell Ale House. Sometime later this was changed to The Kings Head and Bell. Like most rural public houses The Bell has always been much more than simply a place to quench a thirst and, along with the parish church, very much at the centre of village life. The landlord and lady being responsible for catering for a wide variety of village events like Sunday school picnics and other village socials. Throughout the 1800's The Bell was also the general store with the addition of a bakery at the rear.
The original building was timber framed and thatched with a number of stables and assorted out-buildings on the site of the large car park. In the 1890’s it was owned by
Platts Brewery of Hungerford and during this time, badly damaged by fire. The pub was closed and virtually re-built in brick and a tiled roof with the words “Bell Inn”
incorporated into the front of the building using old bottles, now concealed by the modern facia.
By 1917 the pub was being run by Frederick Busby who, with his son Ted, also ran
a steam sawyer business from the site. The stationary engine that powered the saw was built by Wantage Engineering and the wood blocks and kindling distributed by steam lorry.
Following the death of his father, Ted Busby and his wife continued to run The Bell until 1961 when they retired to the house they had built next door on the site of the former
Bell Cottages.
The Bell has changed hands numerous times over the years as small local breweries have closed,
amalgamated or been taken over. From Platts to South Berkshire Brewery, also of
Hungerford, to Symonds of Reading who were acquired by Courage in 1965. Under Courage’s ownership the Landlords ceased to be tenants and became managers. It was at this time that
the last major alterations occurred. During the 1960’s the village of Grove experienced exponential growth and the pub established a less than salubrious reputation that raised a
few eye brows in respectable Grove!
During the 1970’s The Bell managers changed almost annually but in 1977 a new manager arrived with his young family who would stay for 21 years. He and his wife would see
the Bell through some of it’s very best and most difficult years.
Peter and Dorothy Hadcroft, with their children, Tanya and Brad, arrived in the September of silver jubilee year. During their tenure they witnessed great changes in the pub
trade. They navigated their way through the transition from managers to tenants and leaseholders and the change from brewery to investment house and finally property company
ownership. As well as the advent of all day opening.
Peter and Dorothy retired into the village in 1998 but their daughter Tanya and her husband, Mervyn Dyer, took over the reins and continue to operate The Bell in the family tradition and in the tradition of the long history of The Bell at Grove as an active part of the community of Grove. The Bell is still a family operation with Dorothy, Bradley and Tanya’s son Joe all working behind the bar.
