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Picture source: Bob Bates

The Oliver Cromwell was situated on Millbrook Road. It was said that the pub was over 400 years old; its name is alleged to have derived from a local folk story that Oliver Cromwell once stayed the night here on his way through Southampton during the Civil War. The pub was owned by The Winchester Brewery before being sold to Charrington’s Anchor Brewery, It closed in 1967 and was demolished shortly afterwards to allow the widening of Millbrook Road. This action would not have been allowed in this day and age as the building would have been listed. There were no beer pumps in the pub as the beer was served from large wooden barrels set into the wall behind the bar. Notoriety : Until the mid 1950’s the pub was under the Romsey & Stockbridge Licensing Authority and therefore had to close at 10:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. A common sight at 10:35pm was to see a large group of men running some 100yards up Millbrook Road to The Royal Mail which was within Southampton Borough Licensing authority and therefore did not close till 1100pm on these days, in the mid 1950’s the Southampton Borough Boundary was extended to Redbridge thereby ending this anomaly.

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