The Castle Inn sat proudly at the junction of Castle Street, Enfield Street, Newport Street and Kid Lane, to the north of Market Square and the building was likely to have been a farm when first built in the 1700s. These days it is a private residential property and has been for some 100 years or so since the Inn closed, but bears the name, 'Castle House' in deference to its history.
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1901 OS Map Excerpt |
As the census record from 1851 below attests, Daniel Evans worked as a Maltster as well as a Beerseller, so almost certainly brewed his own beer on the premises.
The art of the Maltster dates back to the Middle English period (1150—1500) and was the art of germinating the barley to get maximum enzyme formation but with minimal growth of the young plant which would otherwise use up potential sugar for the brewer or distiller, so is crucial to the brewing industry.
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1851 Census - Daniel Evans |
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1851 History, Gazetteer & Directory of Shropshire 1851 - Daniel Evans |
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Slater's Directory of Glos, Herefs, Mon, Shrops, & Wales, 1859 - Daniel Evans |
Daniel Evans passed away shortly after the above directory was taken in 1859 leaving his widow Mary to run the business, and it was from this time onwards that it was known as the Castle Inn, and was listed as an Inn or Public House on directory records, indicating Mary had successfully applied to for a wine and spirits licence.
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1861 Census - Mary Evans |
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Morning Advertiser 23 March 1865 |
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Shrewsbury Chronicle 31 May 1867 |
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Slater's Directory of Glos, Herefs, Mon, Shrops & Wales, 1868 - Mary Evans |
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Shrewsbury Chronicle 10 January 1868 |
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Shrewsbury Chronicle 26 August 1870 |
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Shrewsbury Chronicle 30 September 1870 |
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1871 Census - Mary Evans |
Mary Evans continued to run the Castle Inn with her son William until her death in 1877, having outlived her husband Evan by nearly 20 years and the during her tenure behind the bar the various press cuttings here reflect how she had established the pub at the heart of the local community, hosting auctions, social gatherings and providing the venue for various clubs and societies to meet.
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