Rutland has a long history of pubs and brewing, with arguably the most popular local beer coming from The Grainstore Brewery and Tap room - Osprey, Rutland Beast and Daniel Lambert being some of the most niche local tipples.

However, Rutland also has a long history of pubs long forgotten, of traditional buildings turned into houses, particularly in the quieter villages in the county.

One of those pubs was The Windmill Inn in Barrowden, a Grade II listed building from 1630 which is now Windmill House. The Windmill Inn held licences for over a century from 1831 until 1941, with a recorded closing date of 1956.

(image courtesy of Rutland Local History & Record Society)

Another long gone pub is The Pied Calf. The building, now called Pied Calf Cottage, is a Grade II listed building in the heart of Lyddington. The building was owned by the Faulkner family until 1857, when it was inherited by Mary Green and functioned as a public house for many years.

The Pied Calf (image courtesy of Rutland Local History & Record Society)

The Pied Calf shut in 1934.

A more recent closure saw The Durham Ox in South Luffenham close up shop in 1966. Does anyone remember this?

The Durham Ox also had a life of over a century, running from 1863 until 1966, surviving even a major fire in 1913 caused, it was thought, by sparks from a passing train.

The Durham Ox (image courtesy of Rutland Local History & Record Society)

Other closed pubs in Rutland include the Lord Roberts, which closed in 1933, The White Swan, which shut in 1933, and The Crown, which closed in 1970.

Rutland still has a great collection of local pubs, from The Lord Nelson in Oakham Market Place, to The Fox in Luffenham - not to mention The Wheatsheaf in Langham, Oakham, and Edith Weston, all of which are charming, locally run venues.

Even through the COVID-19 pandemic, Oakham town centre managed to retain most of the popular watering holes, More recently, Orbis had flourished, Wildwood's was replaced by independent restaurant, The Dovetail, and a local sushi restaurant is joining the ranks of popular pubs and eateries in town.

Do you have any memories of local pubs closing down?

Share them with us by emailing [email protected].

Alternatively, ready an old 'Oakham in history' feature about a lost local brewer, Ruddles Brewery.