Bank House Inn, Hixon

The Bank House was built during the latter part of the 17th century and was originally just a thatched two roomed cottage. It was ubstantially remodelled and enlarged in brick (now painted white) in the18th century. It was added to over the years and the building was finally completed as it is now by 1815. In the original part of the building the beams are hand sawn, and the roofs and doors are low by modern standards. In the mid 19th century the Bankhouse brewed its own beer and there is a malt cellar that was used then. The last recorded brewer on these premises was Alfred Eardley in 1884. In 1881 he was described as a 33 year old maltster and brewer. William Talbot was also recorded as a brewer in Hixon, the last reference to him was in 1902 but there is no evidence that he was at Bank House. Some of the buildings were used for slaughtering animals and people could buy meat as well as bringing their animals to be killed. The Bankhouse used to belong to the Ferrers estates of Chartley and when it was sold by them in 1904 the record of the sale notes that some of the buildings were not in use, it would appear that all brewing and slaughtering had finished by then. The buildings which once housed the brewery and slaughterhouse were demolished in the 1970's.