Step inside The Buck Inn in Ashton upon Mersey today, and you’re not just entering a pub; you’re stepping onto a stage where centuries of local history have played out. This isn’t merely a place to grab a drink; it’s a living, breathing chronicle, its ancient timbers and worn flagstones humming with forgotten tales and indelible memories.
Echoes of Justice and Jails
While the current laughter and clinking glasses might suggest otherwise, The Buck’s story stretches back to the early 18th century, making it one of Ashton’s most enduring landmarks. For a significant period in the 19th century, before civic buildings were commonplace, this very establishment did double duty as the village courthouse. Imagine the weight of those moments, as local magistrates, perhaps stern-faced and wigged, presided over disputes and delivered rulings within these very walls.
Even more startling is the revelation that one of its cellars was pressed into service as the village gaol or lock-up. Picture the sombre journey of those awaiting justice, perhaps led through a now-sealed underground tunnel said to connect the gaol to St. Martin’s Church, only to emerge at the stocks on the church’s forecourt. It’s a stark reminder of a time when justice was swift and often publicly dispensed, with The Buck at the very heart of it.
A Hub of Revelry and Raw Life
Beyond its judicial past, The Buck was, for generations, the undisputed epicentre of Ashton upon Mersey’s social life, particularly during the boisterous Ashton Wakes. These annual festivals were a vibrant, if sometimes unruly, spectacle. The inn would have been awash with activity, its cellars emptying to quench the thirst of villagers and visitors drawn from miles around. I can almost hear the cacophony of feasting, the shouts from races, and the raucous laughter accompanying bygone games like ‘grinning through a horse collar.’
It’s a sobering thought that even the brutal practice of bull baiting was once a part of these festivities, drawing large, unblinking crowds to The Buck’s forecourt. The inn truly reflected the raw, unvarnished life of the era, a magnet for everyone from the respectable merchant to the “rowdy people – poachers, thieves and others” documented in late 19th-century records.
A Tapestry of Time
Over its long and storied existence, The Buck has seen countless licensees, each adding their thread to its rich tapestry. It’s a place that has adapted and endured, shedding its civic duties to embrace its identity as a beloved community pub.
Today, The Buck stands as a testament to continuity. When you visit, you’re not just stepping into a pub; you’re immersing yourself in the layers of Ashton upon Mersey’s past. The echoes of courthouse dramas, the boisterous spirit of forgotten festivals, and the quiet hum of countless conversations all blend with the present-day clinking of glasses. It’s a place where history isn’t just in books; it’s poured into every pint.
Who knows if any of this is true?
