A TASTE OF HISTORY

The Bolingey Inn opened in 1783 and was first known as The Miners Arms. By 1841, it operated as a “kiddlywink”, an unlicensed tavern run by a local carpenter. Ten years later, it became a licensed public house with the same carpenter as landlord.
 

During the First World War, beer barrels were dropped off on the main road by Mitchell’s horse buses, and the landlord would push a wheelbarrow up the hill to collect them. In the 19th century, the inn also served as a mine count house where miners collected wages or tokens through a small hatch, often surrounded by traders eager to claim their pay.
 

In the 1940s, the toilets were moved indoors, ending the rainy dash across the car park. During the 1950s, locals would buy half bottles of Navy Rum for only 21p to keep their spirits up while lamping at night. By the 1980s, rent for the pub was just £3 per week.
 

Like all old pubs, The Bolingey Inn has its share of ghost stories. Some landlords have reported glasses falling, taps turning on by themselves, and footsteps crossing the floor above the bar. Not everyone believes, but a few former landlords refused to stay overnight after their first encounter.