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Olde Black Bear, Tewkesbury (Black Bear)

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Operator: Independent
68 High Street Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury, GL20 5BJ (View on Google Map)
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  • Historic Interior

Ye Olde Black Bear serves Wye Valley and a number of changing beers as well as meals.

It has undergone major, sympathetic refurbishment during the last six years. The oldest inn in Gloucestershire, dating from 1308, features many separate rambling bar areas, one boasting leatherwork on the ceiling that dates to the 17th century. Note the glass covered stairwell by the bar - this leads to a passage supposedly linking the inn to the abbey. Part of the building was originally the stables. The inn's front door is reputedly the second oldest in the area. Reports suggest resident ghosts (including an old lady and a cavalier). A pleasant terrace patio overlooks the garden, the river Avon (moorings available - where children under supervision can feed the ducks) and St John's bridge. The former stables, now an integral part of the pub, was used as a hospital during the Battle of the Roses.

Historic Interest

A listed pub that dates back to at least 1308 with lots of history, ghosts, a leather ceiling and a garden seating over 200 that looks over the river Avon.

Information for this venue is provided by the Tewkesbury Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Tewkesbury District (B)
Last updated
12/03/2025
Last surveyed
28/06/2023
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
individual
Pub ID
GLO/0475
Asset of Community Value

One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest

Listed status: II*

Re-opened in 2024 after a refurbishment. A mostly 16th-century timber-framed building. Up to the early 1980s the far left-hand small room was the public bar and contained a small counter. This room is significant for its magnificent early C17 plastered (leather?) ceiling with three rosettes, a dolphin, and a rosette in geometrical surround, plus a plastered dragon-beam with a soffit of leaf and rosette. The other old fitting in this fairly plain room is the small Tudor arch stone fireplace. Note the good etched top panels in the windows here and elsewhere featuring a bear and also on the two panels in the door to this room. The present bar assumed its position in the mid-1980s and you can see that the counter front utilised old panelling from elsewhere in the pub. Until the 1980s there was a second bar in the room on the far right.

General information about historic pub interiors

A mostly 16th-century timber-framed building. Up to the early 1980s the far left-hand small room was the public bar and it contained a small counter. This room is significant for its magnificent early C17 plastered (leather?) ceiling with 3 rosettes, a dolphin, and a rosette in geometrical surround, also a plastered dragon-beam with a soffit of leaf and rosette. A fairly plain room, the other old fitting is the small Tudor arch stone fireplace. Note the good etched top panels in windows here and elsewhere featuring a bear and also on the two panels in the door to this room. The present bar assumed its position in the mid-1980s and you can see the counter front utilised old panelling from elsewhere in the pub. Until the 1980s there was a second bar in the room on the far right of the pub.

This half-timbered room has a vestibule entrance with leaded glazing and the fitting of note is a very fine 17th-century carved overmantel and surround to a stone fireplace. Huge oak beams and etched windows add to the atmosphere. The near right-hand room with a small Tudor-arch stone fireplace was used as a store prior to the 1980s and was believed to be the site of the original coaching arch. To the near right is another small room with a disused brick fireplace painted pink. In 1999 the pub was extended to the rear left when the owners bought the adjacent Tewkesbury Rugby Club and created a new bar (though this area is largely invisible from the older front part). The pub has therefore undergone a fair degree of change with all the original bar fittings removed in the 1980s, some opening out and new doorways being created.

General information about historic pub interiors
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Monday
Closed
Tuesday
10:00am - Midnight
Wednesday
10:00am - Midnight
Thursday
10:00am - Midnight
Friday
10:00am - 1:00am
Saturday
10:00am - 1:00am
Sunday
10:00am - Midnight
Monday
No Service
Tuesday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Wednesday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Thursday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Friday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Saturday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Sunday
10:00am - 11:00pm

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Current beers

This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 3 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

Wye Valley - Pyoneer TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Wye Valley - Pyoneer
Wye Valley - Pyoneer Session Bitter • 3.4%
Wye Valley - Pyoneer
Wye Valley - Pyoneer

This beer is served regularly at Olde Black Bear, Tewkesbury.

ABV 3.4%
Dispense Handpump
Style Session Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Wye Valley - Butty Bach TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Wye Valley - Butty Bach
Wye Valley - Butty Bach Premium Bitter • 4.5% Spotted 6 times.
Wye Valley - Butty Bach
Wye Valley - Butty Bach

This beer is served regularly and Spotted 6 times. at Olde Black Bear, Tewkesbury.

ABV 4.5%
Dispense Handpump
Style Premium Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Wye Valley - Hopfather TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Wye Valley - Hopfather
Wye Valley - Hopfather Session Golden Ale • 3.9% Spotted 6 times.
Wye Valley - Hopfather
Wye Valley - Hopfather

This beer is served regularly and Spotted 6 times. at Olde Black Bear, Tewkesbury.

ABV 3.9%
Dispense Handpump
Style Session Golden Ale
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No
Changing

Changing beers typically include: Theakston - Old Peculier , Uley - Pigs Ear


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Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Garden Garden
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Disabled Access Disabled Access
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Accommodation Accommodation
Events Events
Function Room Function Room
Real Fire Real Fire
Separate Bar Separate Bar
Smoking Smoking
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Beer Festival Beer Festival
Transport
Close to bus routes
Adjacent station
Ashchurch for Tewkesbury
Ordnance Survey Reference
Directions
A38 - Top of High St. near river bridge

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