The Public Houses Panel

The Cavalier

The sixteenth century building now known as The Cavalier has been much modified and was originally called The Ram until the latter half of the last century. The use of a ram, with the animal's close association with the wool trade was a popular inn sign in South Leicestershire and the lane in which it stood used to be called Ram Lane. In 1971 the building was gutted and rebuilt and the inn renamed The Cavalier, referring to an old, unproven story that Royalists soldiers, on their return from the Battle of Naseby, supposedly lodged in the town.

The Shambles

The colourful sign of the butcher adorns the attractive timber-framed thatched building which stands in the centre of the town in Market Street. The site of the building, dating from the late 16th or early 17th century, was originally a slaughter house in an area called Beastmarket, near the early cattle driving route in the town, and close to the site of the cattle market. By 1791 the building was being used as a public house and named The Bell, possibly referring to the area where the great bells for St Mary's Church might have been cast. By 1840 the Bell had ceased trading and became a private house and, returning to its origins, a butchers shop. The building was renovated during the 1980's and once more became a public house.

The Fox

The Fox Inn situated on Rugby Road was established in the early 1800's and started out as the Swan, changing its name during the first half of the 20th century. The premises never became a coaching inn, although it did have stabling. A favourite haunt of American airforce personnel based at Bruntingthorpe during the 1950's, and later a weekly venue for leather clad motor bikers during the 1970's and 1980's, it now benefits from being the first pub for traffic leaving the M1 motorway at junction 20.

The Unicorn

The Unicorn has stood on the corner of Church Street and Bank Street since the 1800's. Once one of three pubs in the street, it is now the only one trading. It was a popular place for the carriers to pick up their passengers and was rebuilt in 1917 by one of the town's prolific builders, Peter Rourke, and given a mock Tudor facade.