| The Cow & Plough was the idea of licensee and architectural antiques owner Barry Lount, when in 1989 he approached the owners of Stoughton Grange Farm, CWS, who were then in the process of opening the farm to the public as a tourist attraction. Barry suggested an old type pub selling real ale would fit in with their plans. The CWS agreed and leased an upper room in their proposed conference buildings to Barry and his wife Liz, these buildings were old stables and feed stores, perfect for Barry’s proposal. |  |
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Barry and Liz set about finding pub memorabilia, advertising signs and breweriana to refurbish the ale house they were trying to create, antique and pub closer auctions were attended to supply them with the fixtures and fittings they needed. So successful was the venture, that after just one year Barry and Liz were offered an old and larger ground floor building to move to, this meant more searches for collectibles and memorabilia to refurbish the new bar. |
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| This one ton gentle giant, a favourite with the children who he would take for rides around the farm park, was so partial to a gallon or two that local brewers Hoskins & Oldfield agreed to name a beer after him “Brigadier bitter.” The shire horse unfortunately was later banned from drinking after becoming to frisky and bolting with a cart loaded with people, who got a more exciting trip than they had bargained for. Brigadier wasn’t the only farm animal to join the regulars at the Cow & Plough, as Ducky the Indian runner duck was a regular visitor, don’t leave your pint in his range when Ducky was about. |  |
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The Cow & Plough had now become a regular in the annual Good BEER Guide, constantly winning awards for its keeping of beer, culminating in being awarded in 1995 and again in 1998 C.A.M.R.A.s region award of best pub in the East midlands, the pub continued to grow as it became more and more popular, in 1995 a non smoking conservatory was added, this for Barry and Liz meant more breweriana and memorabilia to collect, more old pub furnishings to refurbish with. |
| The Old and Mild Beers bar back was from a east end London pub as was the leaded panelling that formed the snug, most of the architectural items were from more local sites, including some such as the seating from churches. 1998 saw another pub of the year win and in the year 2001 the Cow & Plough was chosen for The Good Beer Guide for the tenth successive year, but this was the year it almost turned for the pub, as the foot and mouth disease took a hold on the country the farm was forced to close to protect the livestock, including the pub, from February until late June the bar was silent and in mothballs, but after months of fruitless battle for aid the area was given the all clear, the Cow & Plough re-opened on June 28th. |  |
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The pubs re-opening was tinged with some sadness however as the farm park attraction had been forced to close, the animals had to be found new homes. No more peacocks roosting in the bar, no more sounds of the mighty shire horses or the pigs paying an unwanted visit during a wedding. The farm, apart from the milking cows fell silent 11 years of life surrounded by all variety of farm animals had gone. |
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The Cow & Plough had to change; it did this by taking on functions and events such as beer festivals in the now empty farm buildings, to prove it was back the pub was chosen for the 2002 Good Beer Guide. |
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