Brindle - Cavendish Arms

Name: The Cavendish Arms

Address: Water Street, Brindle

The Cavendish Arms reflects the connection of the village with the Cavendish family (related to the Duke of Devonshire) and owners of the Brindle Estate until between the two World Wars. It had previously been called the Devonshire Arms, as recorded in the 1825 Directory below but by 1861 was known as the Cavendish Arms.

Today the Cavendish Arms is officially the only pub left in the village however the Dog Inn on Chorley Old Road in Whittle-le-Woods was, for many years, half in Brindle and half in Whittle-le-Woods. Similarly, the Lord Nelson pub was for many years in Brindle up to boundary changes in the latter part of the last century. Over its door is the date 1668, which clearly pre-dates its name; British naval hero, Horatio Nelson was killed at Trafalgar in 1805.

At one point there were three pubs in the centre of the village, the Cavendish Arms, the Cross Keys on Sandy Lane and the Bull & Butcher on Water Street. For many years there was a pub (more an ‘ale house’) in the row of cottages at Top o’th’ Lane, called The Farmers Arms; after the Second World War it was owned by Messrs. Matthew Brown & Co. of Blackburn, serving ‘Lion’ ale.

(Courtesy of Brindle Historical Society)

Aerial View of Brindle 

Listed landlords at the Cavendish Arms were Richard Rothwell (1825), Henry Fowler (1841), William Sumner (1851-61), Alice Sumner (1871), Thomas Smith (1881), William Sharples (1891), James W Pearson (1901), Arthur Cook (1911), Henry Lancaster (1921) and Annie Baxendale (1934-66).

1841 Census

Photo courtesy of Gordon Small

1851 Census

1861 Census

Preston Chronicle 06 March 1869

1871 Census

1881 Census

1891 Census

Photo courtesy of Gordon Small

Lancashire Evening Post 04 November 1896

1901 Census

Lancashire Evening Post 04 October 1901

1911 Census

1921 Census

Annie Baxendale Cavendish Arms 1934 until 1966

Annie Baxendale was landlady at the Cavendish Arms from 1934 until 1966; she had previously been at the Bull & Butcher (now demolished). Her relative, Harold Lancaster had the pub until retiring, whereupon he became the caretaker at Brindle Parish Institute until its closure around 1958. 

Lancashire Evening Post 12 June 1937

The Cavendish Arms like many pubs had affiliations to various different local breweries over the years and the article above confirmed links to the Burtonwood Brewery in Warrington.

Lancashire Evening Post 01 October 1945

Private Joseph Baxendale

Lancashire Evening Post 06 June 1946