HISTORY OF THE WHEATSHEAF

 

The Wheatsheaf Inn (along with the former Malvern Inn) had a role in the Leckhampton Hill riots of Good Friday 1906 when protesters assembled on the hill to claim rights of passage over land that had been acquired in 1894 by Henry J. Dale of the Leckhampton Quarries Ltd. They marched from the Wheatsheaf with banners proclaiming ‘Hills can’t be Dales’ and ‘Up hill to down Dale’ and headed to Dale’s residence, Tramway Cottage, that had been razed to the ground in a previous riot of 1902. The ringleaders were arrested at the rebuilt Tramway Cottage on the hill and sent to prison. On their release they were cheered as heroes in the skittle alley of the Wheatsheaf Inn.

 

The Cheltenham Original Brewery pub was completely rebuilt, in the 1930’s to be the Wheatsheaf Inn, as we know it today. The building is a twin gabled brick building while the interior contains some original traditional dark wood panelling.

 

In the 1960’s the pubs skittle alley doubled up as the Grotto music venue. A group called the Vikings played there on one occasion, who later became as popular as The Move. Jim Capaldi, who later became a member of Traffic, played at the Wheatsheaf with a band called the Hellians. Additionally, Brian Jones, legendary guitarist and founder member of the Rolling Stones, used to frequent the Wheatsheaf in the early 1960’s when the skittle alley hosted Club 66.

 

The pub was acquired by Wadworth & Co. from Whitbread in the early 1990’s and held the World Shove Ha’Penny Championship from 1988 until about 1998.