SLHS: Bear Inn, Shoulder Of Mutton Swan’s Nest

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Further Information..

  1. Official website: The Swan’s Nest & Bear Inn

  2. It is one of 11 hotels in the: The Focus Hotel Group

Swan’s nest Lane.

● These items have aspects that uniquely contribute to national or world history.

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Bear Inn

Settlement in this part of Stratford goes back to pre-Roman times. The river broadens with the water level reducing accordingly. If one was to wade through it you would do it here.

As the centuries passed these settlements didn’t just need to cross in the summer, when the water level was conducive, but out of this season as well. Thus various wooden structures were developed but all ultimately were washed away (follow shortcut above).

The site, therefore, lent itself to trade. People stopped over to do so and therefore the Clopton family built a pub here in 1662 called The Bear (an iconic symbol of Warwickshire. See SLHS: Heraldry). It was enlarged by Sir John Clopton in 1663 with trading warehouses to one side. Later his son, Hugh Clopton, was to build his fabulous bridge across the river here which exists to this day (see shortcut above).

The Shoulder Of Mutton

After the Cloptons ceased trading the pub was given this name. In the 1930’s it, and all the land nearby, was owned by George Rose who also had a coal business on Waterside.

Swan’s Nest

George’s son, Len Rose, continued to run it as a pub but renamed it The Swan’s Nest until mid 1930 when he sold it to Flowers.

Rose’s Boat Yard

He kept the land by the river and built Rose’s Boat Yard. The name Rose has now been dropped but is successfully run by Avon Boating.

Back To The Bear

Today the main body of the building acts as a hotel which goes by the name The Swan’s Nest but The Bear name is retained for that of the bar. Labels on the outside appear interchangeably.

Bistro Piere

The dining area now takes this name.

It is part of the large Focus Hotel Group (see below) which include a few names within the Hilton, Marriott, DoubleTree, Indigo, IHG and Accor hotel brands.

  1. Data Availability

  2. ● Full

  3. ● Partial

  4. ● None

Exteriors and interiors

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Last update: 31/10/2024

Created: 20/10/2023