About Us
HISTORY FIRST
Ye Olde Rock Inn has existed as a pub for over 200 years, dating back to 1816 when George III sat on the British Throne. The original part of the building dates back further and is believed to have been constructed in the late 17th Century when it was used as a house for the Mill Manager, responsible for the production of textiles in the working part of the village in the valley below.
Serving real ale since 1816
ABOUT OUR PUB TODAY
""The Rock has been in my family since 1985, my parents, John & Hilary, were the longest serving landlord the pub has ever had, the place has special meaning given it was where i grew up, so i'm glad to have taken on the mantle with Amie my partner. The refurbishment was an important and necessary step for the pub, while a lot of country places have an old almost worn out look and feel to them these days, we felt it was time to move the Rock Inn into the future. For those that visited the pub before (pre Feb 2019) you will notice a big difference. Gone has the dark, dingy, brass fittings and red carpets everywhere. We think people will like the balance of warm "mood" lighting, plush fixtures and fittings and wood fires.
Yet despite the modernisation, we have maintained all the warmth & character the pub had before. A marriage of new and old together and it seems, so far at least to have paid off, i don't think we have encountered one person that doesn't like the new look of the place. The pub remains however, just that, a friendly village pub. We don't class ourselves as a restaurant, people can if they wish drop in for a pint and play some pool or sit by the fire and play some dominoes. The two key distinctions between the old and new Rock is now all our food is made fresh in house by our chefing team from locally sourced ingredients and we offer table service as standard.
Amie and me are excited about the future and greeting customers old and new, we've invested the last two years into this place trying to get it ready so we are eager to let the pub shine and speak for itself...
The Rock always was a warm, family friendly pub and that will continue going forward. We look forward to welcoming you in the near future"" - Edward & Amie
THE HISTORY
The pub was originally called the New Inn when it first opened its doors and later became known as "The Rock Inn" after a consortium of businessmen purchased it in the early 20th Century. They likened the rock formation at the rear called "Hen Cloud" to that of the Rock of Gibraltar and the pubs new name was born.
It remained called the Rock Inn until 1985 when it was purchased by the Burrows family who changed it's name to "Ye Olde Rock Inn" to which it remains know as to this very day. Hilary and John successfully built up the business over their 24 years of directly running it up until their well earned retirement in 2009.
Trivia: The Roaches rock formation is made from sandstone (gritstone) and dates back between 315 and 326 million years
After a period of tenancy the pub returned to the family fold in 2019, where it was decided the place needed an overhaul, respecting the history yet breathing new life and love into the pub so it can thrive into the future. Two and a half years later in the summer of 2021 after lots of hard work, long hours and a substantial amount of money, not to mention navigating the Covid-19 pandemic, the pub finally opened its doors once more. This time under the management of Hilary and Johns' son, Edward and partner Amie.
Trivia: Prince Edward visited the pub in 1986 and had one of Hilary's home made Steak pies.
Food for Thought
All of the ingredients we use here at Ye Olde Rock Inn are (where possible) locally sourced. We stock our pub kitchen in much the same way that we stock our home kitchen, with several weekly deliveries of fresh ingredients and produce that we select ourselves, perfect for our chefs to create their delicacies.
Trivia: Ye Olde Rock Inn was the first in the wider Staffordshire area to bring mixed grills to a pub menu, something now replicated quite widely.