GATE INN
140 Burgess Road, Swaythling.
Also the Burgess Street Brewery, Gate Brewery, the Well Hung Gate, the Gate Hangs High.
Brewing started Circa 1838
Brewing ceased 1858/9
Brewing started again 1983
Brewing ceased 1985
This brewery dates back to around 1838 as we see from the 1845 sale details set out later, and was a public house and brewery for many years. In 1846 it was the Well Hung Gate, and by 1870 the Gate Hangs High. Brewing started again in 1983 as one of the Whitbread Home Brew House chain.
Back in the 1840’s, Burgess Road was Burgess Street, and in some directories is a separate area (see the Hitch brewery page for example).
The earliest reference I can find is in August 1841. William Egerton applied at the Licencing Sessions for a licence and it was said he was also a poet. This was because the sign on his house said “William Egerton lives here, from malt and hops brews good beer, to let you know I sell good cider, I built my house a little wider.”
He then appears in the 1843 Forbes directory as a brewer at Burgess Street ‘Swaithling’, and in the 1845 PO Street Directory as being at the Gate Inn Burgess Street Swaithling. He was involved in a Court case in September 1844, when it was reported that William Franks “a gipsy-looking fellow” and a well known dealer in rags and bones, was charged with wilfully damaging the house and property of William Egerton, the keeper of a beershop and brewery. On 19th September Franks went to the Gate with another man and used abusive language to Egerton. Egerton left the room, but continued to hear abuse and bad language. When he went back in to the room he found a second man in a pool of blood on the floor, having been violently assaulted by Franks. Franks then left but came back 30 minutes later demanding beer and threating to burn the house down. On being refused he caused damage to the pub. He was fined and had to pay costs of 11s 6d. He was also charged with assaulting the P C who went to arrest him the next day, the assault being so bad that another constable had to be summoned to help handcuff Franks.
In July 1844 the marriage of Mr Egerton of the “Burgess Street Brewery” to Mary Wareham was announced.
The brewery was then up for sale, as advertised in the Hampshire Independent of 12th April 1845. It was advertised as being a public house, two and a half miles from Southampton and being a “compact and well-arranged free public house and brewery known by the name of the Gate situate in Burgess Street in the parish of South Stoneham in the occupation of the proprietor”. The premises comprised a recently erected club-room, 37ft by 15ft. a tap-room, bar, two parlours kitchen, scullery spirit store, cellarage, and four bed rooms. Adjoining the house was an excellent four-stall stable, with loft over, skittle alley, and a compact and well-arranged brewery, which was supplied with good spring water, described as being hard and soft, from inexhaustible sources. Part of the purchase money could be left on mortgage. The property was freehold, and afforded “the opportunity to an industrious man of moderate capital for the realisation of a fortune.” The Hampshire Advertiser on 22nd February 1845 said that the pub and brewery were both in excellent repair, and had been doing excellent business, having been newly built in the last 7 years (around 1838).
The same notice appears later for the sale on 17th July, but on 12th July the Hampshire Independent has a notice to say there would be no auction as the premises had already been sold.
However, perhaps there was no sale of the freehold, and instead, Egerton granted a lease to James Cantel (also referred to as ‘Cantell’). The Hampshire Independent of 26th September 1846 carries a similar sale notice as in the previous year, and refers to the freehold public house known by the sign of the Gate, Burgess Street, in the occupation of Mr Cantell under a lease for 21 years, with a mutual break after 14 years, at a rent of £40 pa. Also, “adjoining the house is an excellent 4 stall stable with loft over, skittle alley and brewery abundantly supplied with good water hard and soft”.
This wording suggests a lease of the pub, and not the brewery, but the 1847 directory shows James Cantle at the “brewery Gate Inn Burgess Street”, and he is listed as a brewer, as he is again in 1848. From 1849 until 1853 however he is shown as an Innkeeper, not a brewer. Perhaps Egerton retained the brewery and employed Cantle as a brewer? However, as we see later brewing equipment seems to have been owned by Cantell, so perhaps the sale wording was misleading, or perhaps the freehold of the brewery and pub was sold to Cantell.
The trail goes cold for 5 years or so until we see the Hampshire Advertiser of 20th November 1858, which states that there was to be sold, under a bill of sale and other causes, the equipment of this old established brewery and spirit store. It was described as the Gate, Burgess Street, being a capital three quarter mash tub (by Lancaster) (a brew of about 430 gallons at a time), a 162 gallon copper nearly new, 7 beer vats holding 85 hogsheads and 100 other casks. Also coolers, stillions, a malt mill, wort and lifting pumps, and pipes, pigs, sows, boars, and hens.
The reference to a ‘nearly new’ copper suggests brewing had continued. James Cantell was however on the move, and on the 8th January 1859 an application was made to transfer the Licence of the Gate to John Smith. However, Smith was on bail awaiting trial on a charge of Bigamy so the Magistrates refused the transfer. The reason for transfer became clearer in newspapers of 12th Feb 1859 which reported the insolvency of James Cantell late of New Road Portswood, out of business, previously of the Gate Tavern Burgess Street, “Brewer, licenced victualler and now a prisoner for debt in Southampton Borough gaol”. He applied for discharge. His debts were above £375, and he blamed a reduction in business for his difficulties. Brewing plant was valued at £200, and his discharge was granted.
It would be reasonable to conclude that brewing had ceased by 1858/59. In 1863 John Ford, was the Landlord of the 'The Gate Hangs Well' and the pub continued to trade, and found interesting ways to gain publicity. On 29th June 1878 newspapers carry an advert; “pig with 8 legs. This wonderful pig is 4 months old, has 8 legs and feet is considered by the medical faculty to be a most wonderful freak of nature” The public were invited to view him ALIVE at the Gate Inn Burgess Street, with mention there was stabling for 20 horses. I make no comment as to the accuracy of this advert!
By late October 1881, Aldridge’s Brewery owned the Gate Inn which was to be let. James Cantel died on 26th June 1881, aged 65.
After a break of almost 150 years, brewing recommenced in 1983, when it became a Home Brew House under the Whitbread & Co umbrella, but the enterprise was short lived and ended in 1985.
Some may argue it was not a true brewery, as this chain of pubs used concentrated malt extract in the brew, ie they bought in a ‘pre mashed’ syrup or powder containing the already boiled malt. All the ‘brewer’ had to do was add boiling water, and hops (if they were not already in the malt extract), then yeast for the fermentation. The advantage of course was the saving of space and equipment. The first pub to become a Whitbread Home Brew pub was the Alford Arms in Hertfordshire, but they were not that popular (especially with the Campaign for Real Ale!) and most closed after a few years.
The Gate, together with the Crown & Sceptre, and the Stile, was taken over by the Southampton University and demolished as part of their redevelopment. I believe it is now part of the University car park.