In the annals of local history, tales of vanished pubs are a dime a dozen, yet it is far rarer for entire streets to fade into obscurity.

However, that was what happened with Bevois Street, a road established circa 1830 as a thoroughfare connecting Longcroft Street to St Mary Street.

In the 1960s, the Golden Grove estate emerged after the demolition of structures that once stood tall.

Today, only a handful of these remaining buildings form what is now known as Jonas Nichols Square.

Interestingly, a significant number of the demolished buildings had a past life as pubs or beer houses, adding to the area's rich cultural heritage.


Queen’s Head, 85 Bevois Street

The Queen’s Head was clearly a lively pub.

In 1906 Mr Ward, the pub’s landlord, was evicted for allowing drunkenness on the premises.

The pub pre-dated 1846 and was located on the corner of Melbourne Street.

Forder’s Hampton Court Brewery were once owners, but the pub belonged to Brickwood’s Brewery when it closed its doors for the last time in the 1930s.

The building was later owned by the Southampton Gaslight and Coke Company and used as a drawing office.

It was destroyed in the 1960s to make way for Golden Grove.


Boscawen Arms, 137 Bevois Street

The Boscawen Arms was named after a 70-gun third rate warship that was often docked in Southampton.

The pub had a beer licence before 1869 but was refused one in 1928. The owners appealed and the licence was reinstated later that year.

Boscawen Arms got its full licence on April 5, 1957.

 Local authorities made a compulsory purchase from Strong’s Romsey Brewery on January 21, 1962.

The building was demolished shortly afterwards.

Daily Echo:


Navigation Inn, 55 Bevois Street

Landlord John Cox was fined in December 1914 for selling beer in an unsealed vessel to a child under 14 years of age.

The pub was originally known as the Free House Inn until February 1909 and it had a beer licence since before 1986.

The pub was issued a full licence on July 8, 1960, but closed shortly afterwards and was eventually demolished.

At the end of the 19th century, the pub was owned by Allsop’s Brewery but was the property of Marston’s by the time it closed. Somewhere between it belonged to Winchester Brewery


Bevois Castle Hotel, 3 Bevois Street

Fanny Lock’s brewery existed on this site in the 1840s and by 1878 it was a fully licensed house.

The pub was known as the Bevois Castle hotel in the 19th century before changing to the Bevois Street Tavern.

It went by that name until at least 1934 when it changed back to its former name.

Local authorities made a compulsory purchase from Gale’s Horndean Brewery on August 8, 1964.

The building was demolished shortly afterwards.

Daily Echo:


Fleur de Lis, 110 Bevois Street

Robert Napier ran the bar in the early 1870s on behalf of Winchester Brewery.

The pub received £578 compensation in 1910 when it was refused a licence.

The building became a sweet shop and was demolished in the 1960s as part of the redevelopment of the area.


Full Moon, 51 Bevois Street.

Once known as the Mariner’s Arms, the Full Moon dated back to 1839.

Crowley’s Alton Brewery leased the pub in 1880 for £40 a year.

The brewery was awarded £385 compensation in 1903 after it was refused a licence.


Rising Sun, Bevois Street

The pub dated back to at least 1843 when John Cutler was the landlord.


Sailor’s Home, 97 Bevois Street

The Sailor’s Home, which stood on the corner with Grove Street, had a beer licence from as far back as at least 1869.

The pub was owned by Barlow’s Victoria Brewery in the early 20th century but was a Brickwood’s establishment when it closed in 1962.

The building was demolished shortly after to make way for the redevelopment.

Daily Echo:


Three Tuns, Bevois Street

The Three Tuns existed back in 1946 but ceased to be many years ago.