Our resident investigator of Nottingham weird history looks into the stories hidden in idiosyncratic Hockley pub The Angel...
At the core of our British DNA is a yearning for a hearty ol’ pub where the glasses are older than its customers and the toilets come with a hazard warning. Thankfully, Nottingham is full to the brim with pubs to quench our thirst, but most don’t come close to the wayward history of The Angel on Stoney Street. As a favourite haunt of the LeftLion gang, its 400 year plus history has provided Notts with an incredible space for grassroots music, some rather mysterious deaths, and an ever-changing pub structure which boasts an ability to adapt to the times. Oh, and a loo renovation so we can discard the hazardous substances sign.
Going all the way back to 1676, The Angel’s outer shell was erected in Stoney Street. Yet it wasn’t until 1744 when the Badder & Peat map of Nottingham Inns first documented The Old Angel Inn. One of the Angel’s first customers of celebrity status was said to be none other than Dick Turpin. Turpin was an infamous highway man which is a fancy word for a thieving *child-born-out-of-wedlock*. Given that The Angel was located on the original north/south route that ran through Nottingham, Turpin would pop in to wet his whistle before engaging in some good old fashioned armed robberies.
The chapel on the first floor was originally constructed by a Victorian lace manufacturer who wanted to save his workers from the ladies-of-the-night who frequented the pub. Yet his workers weren’t the only ones in attendance. Fast-forward to the 19th century and The Angel began to host all kinds of mysterious and clandestine gatherings within the chapel and caves below, from the more formal meetings of the Ancient Order of the Odd Fellows/Druids, to the political rousings of the Luddite gangs across the 1800s, who allegedly employed children to roam the streets to keep an eye out for police presence. Upon the arrival of the po-po, the lookout would drop a coin down a drainpipe to the caves where meetings would take place. This indicated that ‘Andy was home’ and they would drop down and play dead, giving time for the group to scarper.
In some rather exciting news, the Angel has even witnessed several murders within and outside of its walls. What good boozer doesn’t have a couple of ghosts tampering with the kegs? In 1831 Patron Robert Pearson simply couldn’t handle his drink (or the banister) and fell down the main stairs to his death. Four years later, a deep rivalry developed between two local men who both had their eyes set on one beautiful barmaid. The young lady grew tiresome with their efforts and suggested a dual for her hand in marriage. The amorous battle left one man dead and the other with a criminal record. Unfortunately, the police didn’t see this as a fair way to resolve this love feud, forcing the survivor to flee Nottingham to avoid incarceration, ultimately leaving the barmaid to lead a life as a spinster.
The 1800s saw further arrests. Bartender Harry Shears was nicked for stealing eight bottles of hard liquor. Even a landlady, Sarah Ann Bell, was summoned before court just three months into her tenancy for organising a serious lock-in which endured until the early hours of the following Sunday morning.
Thankfully for us ravers, metalheads, headbangers, pop music screechers, and corduroy-wearing indie lovers, the law has allowed for laxer curfews, allowing the Angel to provide Nottingham with over 150 years of music. From Oasis and the Arctic Monkeys to subdued choral meetings and jaunty pianists in the Chapel, The Angel has heard it all.
There were even regular ‘smoking concerts’ which were reserved for men only, allowing them to loiter amongst the smoke and talk about serious matters. These probably included: a hyperfixation on the Roman Empire, the rise and fall of the monocle, an examination of Pho and if it just really is a fancy pot noodle, and whether anything good really happens past 2am when you were only out for one.
In 2016, Ben Rose stepped in as the pub’s current landlord making extensive renovations and preventing a ‘Spoonsification’ of one of Nott’s most-loved pubs. With a frequently updated menu, a quality lineup of pints, and music events to keep you good folk of Nottingham dancing, The Angel has stood the test of time and is a testament to the city's ever-evolving climate… with less murders on Friday nights as an added bonus.
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