Plough Inn, Hempton

 Rob Forsyth

Not very much is known about the Inn and such as is known is taken from the chat function on the Roots website.

The Inn stood on or near the cross roads to Barford St John and Duns Tew from the 1700s up until the early 1960s when it was demolished. It ceased to sell liquor in the mid 1930s. 

Landlords

1714 Aris sold to Allen

1762 Allen sold to Enock. Several mortages raised on it

1829 Mortgages sold to James Coggins, farmer

1839 James Coggins raised mortgages

1864 12 May Edward Coggins - Middle & Steeple Barton Farmer - succeeded James as mortagee on his death

1876 Edward Coggins sold to Robert S Wise of Banbury a 'Dr of Medicine'

1881 Occupied by Reuben Thornton Innkeeper (58) and his wife Fanny (54)

1895-1902 " My great-grandfather, John Thomas Butler, ran the Plough from  c.1895 , when he married his second wife, until his death in 1902.  His second wife, Eliza, had previously worked for C F Edmunds, partner in the Hunt Edmunds brewery, which owned the Plough at that time, and after her marriage he seems to have given John the job of innkeeper" (comment by Joyce Hoad on Roots website)

1910 Stone and slated 2 floor Licensed House with yard. Owner Hunt Edmunds and co-occupier J White

Email from Richard Keltie 

I am a great-grandson of John Thomas Butler, who ran the Plough Inn at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th.I have attached the Oxford Journal article relating to my great-grandfather's marriage and takeover of the Plough in 1895

[click on image to enlarge]

You already have some details about him and the pub, taken from a post by Joyce Hoad on Rootschat.

I just wanted to confirm that my great-grandfather took over the running of the Plough in or around June 1895. A report of his second marriage, to Eliza Ann Bailey, was published in the Oxford Journal of 22 June 1895, which noted their wedding was on Tuesday, June 4th, in the church at Bodicote, and that the reception was at The Limes, the residence of C Edmunds, Esq.. The article noted that 'The wedding party left The Limes for a drive through King's Sutton, Aynho, Clifton, and Deddington to Hempton, and (sic) which latter place they now preside over the hospitalities of the Plough Inn.'

My great-grandfather died on Wed 19 Feb 1902. In a matter of days, the licence of The Plough was transferred temporarily to Thomas Croft of Banbury, as reported in the Banbury Advertiser of 27 Feb 1902 and the Banbury Beacon of 1 March 1902. 

The Banbury Advertiser of 7 May 1903 reported that 'Holdover of the licence of the Plough Inn, Hempton, was granted from Harry Cleaver Gilkes to Job White, late of the Plough Inn, Adderbury.' 

In Nov 1914, the licence was transferred to Walter J Tustain, late of the Mason's Arms, Swerford, as reported in both the Banbury Advertiser and Banbury Guardian on 26 Nov 1914. 

In August 1917, the Plough was being advertised 'to let' with early possession. I don't know who took over the place at that time, but newspapers show that an Albert Brewer had it in 1929 (Banbury Guardian, 7 March 1929). 

In May 1932, the licence was transferred from Albert Brewer to Leslie Vernon Richard Parsons (Banbury Advertiser and Banbury Guardian, 12 May 1932). 

In Feb 1934, Messrs Hunt, Edmund and Co said it was not proposed to apply for a renewal of the licence after a date in early April 1934 (Banbury Advertiser, 15 Feb 1934). 

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Richard Keltie November 2025