There is just a single public house in Brighstone today, but historically, 4 pubs and nightclubs have existed in and around the village.
The Five Bells Inn:
The Five Bells inn was a thatched pub in the rural village that was closed in 1919 when its licence was withdrawn.
The pub was known as the Five Bells as, for some 200 years, the local church boasted of a peal of 5 bells.
The publican at the time of its closure was Walter Murray, who turned the premises into a village shop that was taken over by his son.
Its licence may have been withdrawn as the pub had a reputation for being somewhat ‘disorderly’. A 1906 court case saw shepherd Walter Dyer fined 2s 6d (12 1/2p) and landlord Thomas Cave fined 10s (50p) for opening during prohibited hours.
Before entering the premises after 22:00, the shepherd had claimed: “There is not a xxx policeman between Shorwell and Freshwater tonight.” However, the public house had caused sufficient concern for the local constabulary to send a plain clothed Police Constable and Superintendent to keep watch.
There was a further Five Bells Inn in the nearby village of Shorwell that also closed at the end of World War I
The Three Bishops (New Inn)
The Three Bishops was originally known as the New Inn and is situated opposite where the Five Bells used to be.
The original building housing the pub first opened for business in 1832, and the sign of its previous name can still be seen on the side of the building.
In 1973, the brewers decided to change the names of its many New Inns and – at the suggestion of the local Rector – it became the Three Bishops to commemorate the three Rectors of Brighstone that subsequently became Bishops.
The three Rectors were: Bishop Ken of Bath and Wells (Rector 1666-70) who wrote numerous well-known hymns on the Isle of Wight and was imprisoned in the Tower of London for opposing James II; Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford – son of anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce – who was said to have been one of the greatest public speakers of his day and was chaplain to Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert (Rector 1830-40); and George Moberley, Bishop of Salisbury (Rector 1866-69).
The future of The Three Bishops has been seen as uncertain in recent years with plans to turn the car parking into housing submitted in 2020. However, the pub has recently been taken over by new landlord Sam Vernall, who aims to make it the hub of the village.
Barney’s Roadhouse
Barney’s Roadhouse was situated on on a remote spot on the Military Road just outside the village of Brighstone.
It began as a wooden hotel named Sea Breeze, that was used as an Officer’s Mess during World War II. On 17th April 1942, a German bomber scored a direct hit, killing 10 men in their beds. After the war, it was redeveloped as the pub and nightclub Barney’s Roadhouse.
Barney’s had a substantial dancefloor surrounded by replica cannons. It had quite a reputation. Disorder appeared to happen on a fairly regular basis and it had the reputation of being the spot where the West Wight youth had their first encounters with the opposite sex.
Amazingly – considering its remote location – it was well patronised in the late 20th century. This was the time before drink driving laws were rigorously enforced and youngsters were apparently prepared to walk from as far afield as Freshwater.
Barney’s closed for good in 2002. 9 holiday homes were built in its place, named Sea Breezes after the former hotel.
More on Barney’s can be found in the following article.
The Countryman (Casa Espanyol)
Remarkably, up until the turn of the century, the rural village of Brighstone could boast of 2 nightclubs.
Its 2nd nightclub was located just to the east of the village, along Limerstone Road. The site of Casa Espanyol was originally built as a garage but its use changed after World War II to become an incongruous Spanish-themed nightclub in the heart of rural West Wight, complete with a glass dancefloor. Bemused tourists would frequently be deposited there at the conclusion of a Moss Bros ‘Mystery’ Coach Tour.
Casa Espanyol later became the Countryman Pub. Sadly, the revamped nightclub closed due to bad publicity following a beer watering and spirit swapping court case. There was much mirth from locals when the ‘o’ fell from the Countrymen sign.
After the closure of the Countryman in the early years of the 21st century, the premises was purchased by local politician Vix Lowthion, who intended to turn it into her residence. Sadly, it became derelict for some years and was a blot on the landscape in an area renowned for natural beauty.
The Countryman was demolished in 2020.
What are your memories of Brighstone pubs and nightclubs? Let us know in the comments.
I thought Vix Lowthion intended to turn it into holiday lets?
Great story.
I do miss Barney’s Road House and The Countryman.
Great locations.