Today, there are three licensed public houses in Shincliffe:

  The Rose Tree and The Seven Stars in Shincliffe Village, and

  The Avenue in High Shincliffe.

There have been others in the past:

  The Railway Tavern, The Orange Tree, and The Red Lion in Shincliffe Village,

  The Oak Tree and The Colliery Inn in High Shincliffe,

  and The Pine Apple at Old Durham

The first trade directory to include Shincliffe (Parson & White Vol II, 1828) lists The Seven Stars, The Orange Tree and The Red Lion, together with (in Vol I, 1827) The Pine Apple at Old Durham. By the time of Hagar's 1851 directory, all of the above are included with the exception of The Avenue which opened in 1868.

There was also The Kings Head, listed in the 1847, 1851, 1855, and 1858 Trade Directories; we have yet to find out where it was located. The Mason's Arms is listed in 1847, King William the Fourth (probably in Shincliffe Village) makes a brief appearance in 1856, and the oddly named "Board", is listed only in 1851.

Above Left: The Seven Stars in the 1960s.

Above: The Seven Stars Matchbox Label, probably manufactured between 1987 & 1990.

Left: Advert in SCAN magazine 1994.

Below: The Seven Stars in the late 1990s. Note the Vaux brewery lantern above the door.

The Rose Tree, Shincliffe Village

Publicans:

1847 White's Directory - John Stewart

1850 Durham Chronicle (22/11) - John Stewart, Landlord

1851 Hagar's Directory - John Cowell, Victualler

1851 Census - John Cowell

1855 Slater's Directory - John Cowell

1856 Whellan's Directory - John Dowell (sic), Victualler

1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - J Cowel (note spelling)

1861 Census - John Cowell, Colliery Labourer and Victualler

1871 Census - Thomas Bray, Coal Miner and Innkeeper

1873 Kelly's Directory - Thomas Bray, Publican

1890 Kelly's Directory - Mrs Dorothy Tindale

1891 Census - Leonard Willis, Innkeeper

1894 Whellan's Directory - T. James, Victualler

1901 Census - Thomas James, Innkeeper

1911 Census - Anthony Reed, Publican

1914 Kelly's Directory - Anthony Reed

1921 Census - Anthony Reed, Licenced Victualler

1939 Register - William Turner, Innkeeper

1985-1995+ (source: Radio Newcastle interview) - Arthur Walsh

Brewery:

Vaux - dates unknown - the brewery closed in 1999.

Above Left: The Rose Tree in the 1960s.

Below: The Rose Tree c. 2000.

The Avenue, High Shincliffe

1868 Durham County Advertiser - Matthew Hall

         (appointed first landlord of the Avenue)

1871 Census - William Foster, Innkeeper

1873 Kelly's Directory - Mrs Margaret Forster, Publican

1881 Census - Matthew Bates, Innkeeper

1890 Kelly's Directory - John Lawson, Publican
1894 Whellan's Directory - Robert Hodgson, Victualler

1901 Census - Joseph Dixon Rogers, Innkeeper

1911 Census - Roseann Scott, Publican

1914 Kelly's Directory - Rose Ann Scott

1921 Census - Rose Ann Scott, Licenced Victualler

1939 Register - Robert Turton

Brewery:

Vaux - dates unknown, the brewery closed in 1999.

Left: The Avenue in the early 1960s.
Below: Two photographs showing the Vaux Brewery plaque still present in 2023.

The Railway Tavern, Shincliffe Village

Publicans:

1847 White's Directory - Thomas Ross

1851 Hagar's Directory - Ralph Ord, Victualler

1855 Slater's Directory - Ralph Ord (Railway Tavern listed as Railway)

1856 Whellan's Directory - Ralph Ord, Victualler

1858 P.O. Directory - not listed

1861 Census - Ralph Ord, Coal Miner and Victualler

1871 Census - Valentine Coates, Innkeeper

           (Railway Tavern not listed by name in 1871)

1873 Kelly's Directory - Valentine Coates, Publican (listed as Railway Inn)

1890 Kelly's Directory - William Whitfield

1894 Whellan's Directory - William Whitfield, Victualler

1901 Census - Isabella Whitfield, Publican

1911 Census - Robinson Lindsey Gregg, Licenced Victualler

1914 Kelly's Directory - Thomas Howes

1921 Census - Mary Steel

1939 Register - Mary Steel, Publican

The Durham and Sunderland Railway company's station at Shincliffe Village opened in 1839 and the Railway Tavern would have served railway workers, passengers and locals until the station closed in 1893.

It continued to serve local people including students from Houghall Agricultural College for almost 100 years.

The Railway Tavern closed its doors for the last time on January 14th 1991. The building has since been converted to flats.

Read about the: Steels and the Railway Tavern

The Oak Tree Inn, High Shincliffe

Publicans:

1847 White's Directory - John Dunn

1851 Hagar's Directory - Joseph Barker, Victualler.

1855 Slater's Directory - not listed

1856 Whellan's Directory - Joseph Barker, Victualler

1858 P.O. Directory - not listed

1861 Census - Joseph Barker, Grocer and Innkeeper

1871 Census - Joseph Barker, Innkeeper

1873 Kelly's Directory - Joseph Barker, Publican

1890 Kelly's Directory - Walter Spedding

1894 Whellan's Directory - Walter Spedding, Victualler

1901 Census - John Mallam. Innkeeper

1911 Census - John Mallam

1914 Kelly's Directory - Charles Reading

1921 Census - Charles Reading, Innkeeper

1939 Register - Walter T. Coates, listed as 'miner'

The building is now a private house.

Read about: The Mallams and the Carlins and The Oak Tree

Right: The Oak Tree Inn - "George Younger's Sparkling Ales". n/d
 

Below Left: Postcard of Shincliffe Bank Top early 1900s - John Mallam on the sign above the door. (Note the building 2nd from the left - the former Colliery Inn - see below.)

Below Right: Walter Tom Coates behind the bar. n/d

The Orange Tree, Shincliffe Village

Publicans:

1828 Parson & White's Directory - John Hutton, Gardener and Victualler

1847 White's Directory - Anthony Dawson

1851 Census - George Hindmarch, Innkeeper

1851 Hagar's Directory - George Hindmarch, Victualler

1855 Slater's Directory - Thomas Piggford

1856 Whellan's Directory - Thomas Piggford, Victualler

1858 P.O. N/land & Durham Directory - T. Mewes

1861 Census - Thomas Mewes, Labourer and Victualler

1871 Census - John Metcalf, Gardener and Innkeeper

1873 Kelly's Directory - John Metcalf, Publican

1890 Kelly's Directory - Robert Williamson Jnr.

1891 Census - John Robert Williamson, Innkeeper

1894 Whellan's Directory - Anthony Dodds, Victualler (Orange Free (sic) Inn)

The Orange Tree was later bought by Charlton Robson - it is thought that he did this in order to 'decommission' the pub. He later breached the local planning regulations when, in Spring 1895, shortly after purchase, he added two bay windows to the front of the house.

The building continues to be a private house - with bay windows.

Above: Two views of Red Lion Cottage in 1910. The two photographs appear to have been taken at the same time. In the right hand picture, Red Lion Cottage is the dwelling on the right, while the other two cottages (left and centre) now form a single cottage named Tithe Barn.

Left: Durham Chronicle Friday 14th April 1848. Mr Mills advertises his surgery to be held on Thursdays at Mr Douglas's Red Lion, Shincliffe.

Below Durham Chronicle Friday 12th September 1845. Mr John Hutton advertises the Public House known by the sign of the Red Lion, for rent.

Above: Aerial view of High Street, Bank Top in the early 1960s. Richmond House, formerly The Colliery Inn, is the second building from the left.

Below: High Street, Bank Top in 1966. Richmond House is the middle of the three buildings on the right.

The Mason's Arms, ?

Publicans:

1847 White's Directory - Thomas Robinson

King William the Fourth, Shincliffe Village (?)

Publicans:

1856 Whellan's Directory - John Hutton

Above: Press cutting from the Durham Chronicle 28/06/1828

Right: Northern Daily Mail 9/06/1928 (J Ogden - late of West Hartlepool.)