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11-13 April 2025
23 Haltwhistle Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5ZA
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Located opposite the local church this was the only pub in the village, and an excellent one at that! The Davenport Arms was acquired by Robinson’s in the 1920s, and since then the licence has been held by four successive generations of the Hallworth family, a record of continuity which is unique in the Stockport area. Sited next to a real farm, it is constructed of mellow red brick and has the aspect of an old-fashioned Cheshire farmhouse with a number of outbuildings. It is better known to many by its previous name the “Thief’s Neck”, see the inn sign for the villain’s unfortunate fate.
Inside the pub has retained a multi-room layout with a simply furnished tap room to your left as you enter and a cosy snug to the right with a collection of plates and water jugs on a high shelf round the room. Located behind the front entrance is the bar where the vertical drinkers are to be found. There is a small lounge area to the right; a wooden aircraft propeller suspended from the archway leading to it is a reminder of Woodford’s long association with aircraft manufacturing. The former BAE Systems factory down the road was where the Nimrod patrol aircraft was made, but in the past when it was Avro, it produced the famous Lancaster and Vulcan bombers. Each of the three rooms has a welcoming real fire in winter.
At the front of the pub in the spacious forecourt there is planty of bench seating where you can admire the floral displays in season. Note the model of the pub on the wall to the right and the small bench seats built into both sides of the front entrance. From the rear you have views of the adjacent fields, the local cricket pitch, and livestock grazing placidly. The toilets are located in an outbuilding across the yard from the lounge, accessed by a covered walkway. The pub is a former holder of CAMRA’s Greater Manchester Pub of the Year title and in 2021 celebrated thirty five consecutive years in CAMRA’s national Good Beer Guide. The pub has a large car park, but if you want to leave the car at home, the pub is served by a regular bus service. Don’t worry if you miss the stop for the pub, as all buses turn round just after it. A truly classic pub and one definitely not to be missed.
Historic Interest
Acquired by Frederic Robinson in 1922.
Old-fashioned Cheshire farmhouse pub of mellow red brick, creeper covered, and with a number of outbuildings on the left. Acquired by Robinson’s in the 1920s, it is attached to a 40 acres of grazing farmland and has been run by four successive generations of the Hallworth family for 80 years – the anniversary being in February 2012. The family ran a riding school from the stables in the 1940s and diary farming was carried out until the middle of the 1970s. It is better known to many by its previous name the ‘The Thief’s Neck’ as the tree outside the pub was used to hang wrongdoers in the distant past! The layout consists of a panelled passage across the front of the building between a tap room on the left and a snug on the right; also the main bar at the rear with a small lounge area to the rear right and it has not changed since a refurbishment in the 1950s.
On the front right is a door with the figure ‘1’ on a brown button which leads to a cosy snug which has a draught screen with a stained and leaded panel in the top part, and old fixed seating around the room. This small room has an early 20th century tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace, some half timbering on the walls, a small piece of inter-war dado panelling and a collection of plates and water jugs on a high shelf round the room. The front left small tap room has a modern door, old draught screen, old fixed seating around the room, early 20th century tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace, and some dado fielded panelling.
The main bar at the rear left looks like it was refitted (or created?) in the 1950s with its sloping bar counter and bar back fitting with some glass shelves – former landlady June Hallworth came to the pub in 1957 and the only change since then has been the addition of the feature above the counter that has reduced the ceiling height above the servery. This area is popular for vertical drinking with only the odd stool. There was a hatch in the back of the servery to serve the two small front rooms.
On the rear right is an area that was until the 1950s a private room and has a good tiled and wood surround fireplace from xxx and fixed seating that looks post war in style. A wooden aircraft propeller suspended from the archway leading to it is a reminder of Woodford’s long association with aircraft manufacturing as the factory down the road in the past produced the famous Lancaster and Vulcan bombers. The outside gents were modernised in the past few years and now there is a covered walkway to them.
Old-fashioned Cheshire farmhouse pub of mellow red brick, creeper covered, and with a number of outbuildings on the left. Acquired by Robinson’s in the 1920s, it is attached to a 40 acres of grazing farmland and has been run by four successive generations of the Hallworth family for 80 years – the anniversary being in February 2012. The family ran a riding school from the stables in the 1940s and diary farming was carried out until the middle of the 1970s. It is better known to many by its previous name the ‘The Thief’s Neck’ as the tree outside the pub was used to hang wrongdoers in the distant past! The layout consists of a panelled passage across the front of the building between a tap room on the left and a snug on the right; also the main bar at the rear with a small lounge area to the rear right and it has not changed since a refurbishment in the 1950s.
On the front right is a door with the figure ‘1’ on a brown button which leads to a cosy snug which has a draught screen with a stained and leaded panel in the top part, and old fixed seating around the room. This small room has an early 20th century tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace, some half timbering on the walls, a small piece of inter-war dado panelling and a collection of plates and water jugs on a high shelf round the room. The front left small tap room has a modern door, old draught screen, old fixed seating around the room, early 20th century tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace, and some dado fielded panelling.
The main bar at the rear left looks like it was refitted (or created?) in the 1950s with its sloping bar counter and bar back fitting with some glass shelves – former landlady June Hallworth came to the pub in 1957 and the only change since then has been the addition of the feature above the counter that has reduced the ceiling height above the servery. This area is popular for vertical drinking with only the odd stool. There was a hatch in the back of the servery to serve the two small front rooms.
On the rear right is an area that was until the 1950s a private room and has a good tiled and wood surround fireplace from xxx and fixed seating that looks post war in style. A wooden aircraft propeller suspended from the archway leading to it is a reminder of Woodford’s long association with aircraft manufacturing as the factory down the road in the past produced the famous Lancaster and Vulcan bombers. The outside gents were modernised in the past few years and now there is a covered walkway to them.
This Pub serves 1 changing beer and 3 regular beers.
Davenport Arms, Woodford
Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals
Garden
Family Friendly
Parking
Dog Friendly
Games
Real Fire
Separate Bar
Smoking
Wi Fi
Real Ale
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