Shenstone: A January Jaunt

Hmm, a very grey cold day in January but let's be grateful for small mercies - it isn't snowing, it isn't raining, and Nick and I are about to investigate a Staffordshire village which promises a quartet of pub possibilities. Shenstone, over to you...

- Shenstone Station -

Trip Log: Friday 12th January 2024 sees myself and our resident royal all set for Shenstone, an affluent community midway between Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield. Getting there is easy enough thanks to a straightforward half-hourly service on the Cross City line, meaning we can pitch up at Shenstone Station come ten past eleven. The Lichfield-bound platform is very plain with rudimentary running-in boards and not much else, but the Birmingham side has a rather stately railway house that reminds us of similar properties at both Stone and Atherstone. The building apparently dates from the 1880s but doesn't currently appear to be in use, although we can see an old-fashioned booking hall layout when peering through the windows. 

- A Postbox Pose -

From Station Road the village centre is merely a quarter of a mile away, turning right at the war memorial into Main Street by the Cooper Room function hall. Quaint cottages flank one side of the road as we reach a horseshoe-shaped shopping parade with a Costcutter at its apex. The other units comprise a pharmacy, a dentists, Russell's Family Butchers and the offices of the Parish Council while our eye also gets drawn towards a knitted postbox topper featuring Father Christmas and his wider snowy entourage.

- Shenstone Community Library -

Noting the Fox & Hounds for later on, we continue along Main Street to discover Shenstone's community library. In common with many of Staffordshire's smaller branches, this facility is no longer under direct council control but is instead run on an independent basis by a committed enthusiastic bunch of local volunteers. Part of the library has been turned into a cafe which hosts regular coffee mornings, although you can still borrow books, use the internet, access photocopiers and printers or attend the baby storytime sessions. 

- St John the Baptist Church -

Schoolfields Road and St John's Hill take us on a slightly circuitous route to reach St John the Baptist Parish Church, a dramatic Victorian edifice standing stoically on an escarpment. The unremitting greyness of the January skies seems entirely in keeping with the brooding Gothic architecture as we survey the wooded churchyard, spotting the remains of an earlier Norman church tower complete with an eroded emblem of the Merchant Tailors Guild by its east door. The Old Tower hosts regular open days for those keen to learn more about its history.

- Beaming with Pride in the Bulls Head -

A secluded path beside the churchyard brings us neatly to the Fox & Hounds bang on midday opening time, and we're excitedly greeted by a pair of inquisitive pet pooches when furnishing ourselves with a half of St Austell's Tribute Ale apiece. Leaving aside the apparent allegiances to Aston Villa, this is a nice village pub with dartboard, log piles and a passing interest in the Dubai Invitational golf tournament. By contrast, the Bull's Head on the A5127 Birmingham Road has much more of a food focus and is heavily booked on this Friday lunchtime. We're permitted to use one of two spare tables so as to steadily glug down some London Pride; it's good to see the place so busy but we'd best leave the diners to their gustatory pleasures.

- The Railway -

Our Shenstone circuit next involves passing some playing fields and utilising Pinfold Hill up by the remains of an old cattle pound. Our third watering hole is the Plough, stylishly refurbished after a prolonged period of closure circa 2012 and now seemingly back to full health. Golden Glow is always a winning ale in our opinion as we indulge in a lengthy discussion about 20th Century music icons, Nick being especially keen to mention Blondie and Kate Bush. Straight across the road is the Railway, a down-to-earth Marston's boozer which feels like the most basic of the four Shenstone hostelries although its still a very comfortable setting for a tasty half of Old Empire, just the throat-tickler you need with temperatures barely above freezing.

- Glorious Guinness in the New Inns -

Making use of the 14:48 train back towards Birmingham, we extend our explorations into Erdington by calling into the Charlie Hall for a spot of lunch (Nick never unknowingly turns down the chance of a discounted Fishy Friday deal). Very much a standard Wetherspoons experience - sticky tables, loud carpet, old boys aplenty - we learn that Charlie Hall himself was an actor who appeared in several Laurel & Hardy films, and that the premises was for many years a bingo hall. After a quick Cecil Road homage to one of Nick's uncles, we round the day off with New Inns Irishness (it has to be Guinness as we study a county map of the Emerald Isle) and Red Lion spectacle (one of Brum's finest pub frontages, albeit with a more ordinary feel inside) and that'll be that. One January Jaunt duly deposited - Cheers!