In 1891 and 1903 the Crown Inn was listed as a beer house and the owner was Mrs Deane. In the twelve years from 1891 to 1903 the annual rateable value more than doubled from £12.0s.0d. to £27.0s.0d. A possible reason for the increase is that Ind Coope Brewery of Burton on Trent had taken on the lease by Edwardian times and may have expanded the property. In 1891 there was no brewery tie and the Crown Inn was a free house. Closing time was at 10 pm.
The Crown Inn closed c.1992. In its final years it traded as a free house selling Hook Norton Best Bitter and even gained an entry in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide in 1986,1987 and 1988.
The Citizen, 19th October 1989 – Fury at plans to axe pub (by Sally Challoner): A row is brewing in the quiet village of Dymock over plans to demolish one of the two local pubs. Landlord Mr Phil Preece has called time on the Crown Inn and hopes to redevelop the site with 12 self-contained flats. But local people claim the plan would destroy the village character – and drive many drinkers to other towns. “Of course it will take something away from the village character – there will be less choice, and less room in the other village pub, The Beauchamp Arms,” said one regular, who did not want to be named.
Mr and Mrs Preece have the run the pub in Western Way for more than five years but now hope planning chiefs will allow them to knock it down. The skittle alley has already been closed down, and darts teams would also have to find a new home if the plan goes ahead.
The official planning application to the Forest of Dean District Council confirms rumours which have abounded in Dymock for months, said the resident. Local people fought to get the district council to declare the whole village a conservation area. The status means planning regulations are stricter – so Mr Preece could have a difficult job convincing councillors his plan to demolish the pub should go ahead.
Residents fear the Crown may close anyway whether or not it is converted into flats. Mr Preece hopes to knock down part of the pub, the skittle alley and toilet block to put up the 12 flats and provide parking spaces. An ancient walnut tree which stood in the car park has already been cleared.
The Citizen, Friday November 3rd 1989 – Pub flat plan upsets the regulars: Regular drinkers at a Forest of Dean pub are set to discuss ways of saving their favourite watering hole from demolition. Feelings are running high in Dymock over the landlord’s plans to turn the Crown Inn into 12 flats. The public toilets in the car park would also be lost.
Now locals have organised a public meeting to rally support for the building. “People in the village are certainly very angry about this,” said Mrs Phyllis Blamire. who lives in Dymock. “The pub is one of the focal points of the village, and it looks like people are going to fight to prevent the landlord turning it into flats.”
Plans submitted to Forest of Dean planners show landlord Mr Phil Preece hopes to knock down part of the pub, the skittle alley and toilet block to put up the 12 flats and provide parking spaces. The scheme will be considered by councillors at a planning meeting.
“We are not against the landlord selling the pub,” said another regular, who did not want to be named. “But I don’t think many people in Dymock would want it turned into flats. People should wake up and see what’s going on before it is too late.”
The public meeting, called by the parish council, will be held on Monday at 8pm in the parish hall.
The old pub has now been converted into residential flats. (Crown Close).
Landlords at the Crown Inn include:
1885 Francis Edwin Stallard
1891 T.R. Chew
1903 Walter W. James
1939 Alfred Mayo
