My Mother was the licensee of the Woodcutters from 1953
till 1968, approximately where me and my 2 sisters lived. The pub was
very old when we moved in with a walk in bar without a counter and beer
was taken to the tables by my Mum and there was a smoke room the other
side (which no-one used) and a small counter just inside the front door
for take away ales & cider. We had a very small sitting room which was
over an underground cellar where the barrels were kept and the temperature
was at a constant temperature all year round despite the weather. We had
no bath room or toilet and had to use an outside loo where the ladies (not
many in those days) had to use. This was built up against a dry stone wall
so there were all sorts of creepy crawlies, spiders etc within. In 1962
the brewery decided to refurbish the pub and after one of the worst
winters I can remember we had a new bar with a counter, and a lounge, very
posh, we also had a nice bathroom fitted. The view from the pub was
beautiful overlooking Stroud, Rodborough Common and more. I really miss
that view. The pub has been refurbished a couple more times since my
Mother left and I'm really sorry that it is no more. It was the top half
of Whiteshill's local and we had regular teams of darts, quoits,
and dominos etc. You didn't have to ask the regulars what their tipple was
we already knew.
All the villagers knew one another and all the kids seemed to get on with
one another, not like today.
Great memories of a once heart of the village pub!
