Exciting news came in early February as Chesterfield’s oldest pub ‘The Royal Oak’ announced it was opening it’s doors once more. Located in The Shambles (Chesterfield S40 1PX) near Chesterfield’s market square, the pub has been closed for over three years.
The new owners hope to have this historic venue open again soon with the promise of lots of great drinks. In a post on Chesterfield CAMRA’s Facebook group the owners said:
“Hello Chesterfield CAMRA! Just to say hello to you lovely lot and introduce ourselves – we’re Meg and Patrick and we’ve just purchased the Royal Oak in the Shambles! We’ve got the keys and we’re so looking forward to bringing new life to the Royal Oak after years of waiting.
We’re in the process of giving the pub the much needed TLC to get it open again. In the meantime, you can like and follow us on Facebook for updates on progress. Looking forward to getting to know you all very soon”.
We hope to have more news soon and look forward to visiting the pub in the near future.
Shaun Stevenson from the Chesterfield Great Historic Pub Tour reported on The Royal Oak in the Winter issue of InnSpire magazine:
THE ROYAL OAK is a Grade II listed building, the oldest inn in Chesterfield and one of the oldest in Derbyshire. The brick part of the building dates back to 1684 when it is recorded that a piece of land was sold in order to ‘build an extension to the Royal Oak’. There was a reference to the building being used as an inn in a conveyance report of 1772. At that time it was attached to a butchers shop which is now the top bar, though a previous incarnation of the structure existed as part of a cattle market in the 12th century. There is reference to the pub being used as a resting place for the Knights Templar, although this is unlikely as this was probably a different building long since demolished.
The timber-framed part of the present inn was originally two butchers’ shops, which were owned by the Duke of Devonshire, until they were purchased by the Batteson family, owners of the Royal Oak, in 1844. The shop on the east side was let to Joseph Redfern, landlord of the inn at the time, and the other remained a butcher’s shop. In 1845, the tenant, George Collis, was brutally murdered by his business partner, Jack Platts. His body was chopped up and dragged in a sack and dumped in a cesspit at the rear of the nearby Falcon Inn, on Low Pavements.
It was renovated into its current form after being purchased from the Batteson family by Stones’ Brewery in 1897, where the top bar including the windows are largely untouched since then.
The restoration was carried out under the direction of Alderman T.P. Wood, wine and spirit merchant, who was a director of William Stones Ltd at the time. The Tudor look was adopted by William Stones and many of their local pubs were given a black and white facade.
In 1904, when the landlord was wanting to renew the licence, the court was told of an objection. The Royal Oak was situated in the middle of the Shambles. Within a radius of 25 yards, there were three other fully licensed houses. Within a radius of 100 yards, there were no fewer than 23 pubs and within 150 yards’ radius there were 31 licensed premises. There are many “shambles” across the country. The word comes from the Anglo Saxon “shammels ”, specifically meaning shelf but used for slaughterhouses and butcher shops, particularly in cramped conditions.
Fortunately plans to demolish the building in 1929 and in the 1970s did not happen and the Royal Oak survived. There is still an extensive cellar below the bar floor, complete with the butcher’s slab and a trapdoor down to what is allegedly one of Chesterfield’s many underground passages. It is also considered one of the most haunted buildings in the area. The ghost of George Collis and a murdered coachman occasionally make their presence known by hurling objects at people.
This article is by Shaun Stevenson from the Chesterfield Great Historic Pub Tour. The tours have now ended for 2024 but will begin again in 2025. Please visit his Facebook business page: www.facebook.com/CGHPT for news and updates.
This article was originally published in the booklet HISTORICAL TALES & TRADITIONAL ALES, which takes you of a DIY tour of some of Chesterfield’s Town Centre very best pubs.
The booklet is still available from the 10 pubs that feature on the route: The Rutland, The Pig & Pump, The Golden Fleece, The Portland Hotel, The Sun Inn, The Market, The Hidden Knight, The Barley Mow, Gasoline Sports Bar and The Chesterfield Arms (Though stocks may be running low).
The pages contain stories of murder, mystery and dark secrets. Everything from pop stars, a streaker, the Oddfellows and even a former prime minister who opened one of Chesterfield’s pubs. “Many people will enjoy a trip down memory lane because we also include some of the more recent history and anecdotes” said Shaun Stevenson. In order to get as many booklets sold as possible the price is just £1.00.