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Broughton Gifford Public Houses

Broughton Gifford, in the Hundred of Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
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The Bell on the Common

The Bell stands at the southern corner of Broughton Gifford Common and seems to have once been a rank of three houses of different dates. Pubs called the Bell are usually sited close to the parish church, but this one is about as far from the church as it could be.

It, or part of it, existed under the name of The Bell Inn at least by 1782, when Thomas Brown held an auction of a farm there. Henry Butler, who described himself as “innholder of Broughton Gifford” when made his will in 1779, had probably been the publican here before. In 1789 it was acquired, along with much of Broughton Gifford, by Sir Benjamin Hobhouse when he purchased the manor of Broughton.

It remained in the ownership of the Hobhouse family until the 20th century. It was leased to Usher’s Brewery between 1919 and 1926, then sold off to the present owners, Wadworth’s of Devizes in 1957.

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The Fox & Hounds

Like the Bell, the Fox & Hounds seems to have occupied a row of three houses. It was functioning as a pub from at least 1855, when Skreen White (junior? -another of that name lived Broughton in 1798) was listed as a beer seller. It became one of Usher’s pubs in the 20th century.

In about 2002 the name was abbreviated to The Fox and gained a reputation for food, but closed suddenly in November 2016. The following year saw it re-open in March as a “country house restaurant and drinking house” with a chef who was reckoned to be heading for a Michelin star. The name was changed again, to The Rusty Stag. However, the chef had resigned by the next month and the pub-restaurant closed again.

After five years when it was empty, it re-opened again in October 2022, following a refit and has regained its original Fox & Hounds name.