History

Originally built in the early Sixteenth century as a private dwelling, The Three Horseshoes was remodelled sometime during the Seventeenth century to become a coaching inn.

A grade 2 listed building, The Three Horseshoes is one of the oldest pubs in Witney. Initially a cross-wise inn and stables with an open yard behind, the pub has grown over the years to incorporate larger kitchens, our secluded garden, additional dining rooms, and our relaxed lounge ‘The Corridor’.

The first landlord of the Three Horseshoes as a licenced premises was George Brown in 1770; when George died in 1782, he was succeeded as licensee until 1788 by his widow, for whom our Widow Brown Dining Room is named. Over the years, the Three Horseshoes was sold at auction in 1858 to John Andrews, before later being bought by Witney brewers Clinch & Co. in 1909. Clinch’s ran the Witney-based Eagle Brewery which – whilst much of the original brewery was redeveloped into industrial units - still houses the original maltings on the Eagle Industrial Estate as part of first the Wychwood Brewery and, more recently, Marstons Brewers.

In the 1900’s, the pub was also home to the Annual Supper of the Witney Working Men’s Pig Club where, in 1904, the membership showed 24 members and 86 pigs, with upwards of 400 pigs insured in the preceding year.

Bought by Greene King in the early 2000’s and then Admiral Taverns in 2012, The Three Horseshoes was owned from 2008 by the Champion family, before passing to our current owners in 2023.