The Bull’s Head Through Time

Recent History

In more recent years, The Bull’s Head has featured in local and national headlines due to a mural painted on its exterior:

• July 2024 (Stratford Herald): The landlord, Martin Peel, was ordered to remove a bull’s head mural, painted as a playful way of advertising the pub.

• September 2024 (Stratford Herald): A petition in support of the mural gained nearly 1,500 signatures, reflecting huge local backing.

• February 2025 (Kenilworth Nub News): The parish council threw its support behind the pub, stating the mural was an important part of its identity.

• February 2025 (Warwickshire World & The Telegraph): The pub won the right to keep the mural, on the condition the grounds were made more “farm-like” and the artwork maintained.
   

This campaign highlighted not only the pub’s character but also the strength of community spirit in Wootton Wawen. Despite the media spotlight from 2024 onward, there are no known news reports of the Bulls Head before 2024, making the mural story its first major coverage.

Centuries of stories live within The Bull’s Head’s walls. From its 16th-century timber beams to 20th-century floods and darts victories, and now to 21st-century newspaper headlines, the pub remains a cornerstone of Wootton Wawen life.

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The 17th & 18th Centuries

The inn’s early records show timber construction typical of the 1600s. Over the years, it served not only as a place for ale and food but also as a landmark on the road between Stratford-upon-Avon and Birmingham.

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Wartime Wootton

During WWII, Wootton Wawen was heavily targeted due to its railway line. According to local memory:

• Bombs landed near the Bull and at Mayswood, narrowly missing the railway.

• Large bomb craters remained visible for years before being built over.

• Despite the dangers, the Bull continued to serve villagers as a vital community hub.

(Recollections from June Tomes Maisey)

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The 20th Century – Storms, Floods & Community Spirit

The 1900s saw the pub at the centre of village life, with plenty of stories that have since become local legend:

• The Chimney Collapse (1976): High winds blew down fences and the chimney. Soot filled the bar, kitchen, and even ruined the evening’s meals. Regulars, including Tony Wright and John Westbrook, helped with the cleanup, despite being covered head-to-toe in soot.

• Flooding: Diane Wright recalls walking barefoot past the Bull during a flood, skirt tucked up, only to be splashed by a tractor. Roger Withers, the shopkeeper, teased her—until he promptly fell into a hidden hole in the roadworks and disappeared from view!

• Eel Chaos: Sid Webb once brought a bucket of eels into the bar. When one escaped, even the landlord, Vincento, panicked and fled.

• The Irish Toast: During Julian Ponzi’s tenure as landlord in the late 1970s, a group of Irish visitors arrived during the Grand National. One diner’s jacket caught his plate, flipping an entire roast dinner onto himself and his neighbour. Ponzi generously replaced the meals and the night went down in Bull’s Head folklore.

• Beer Shortage: Colin & Jo Usher recall a New Year’s Eve when the pub ran out of beer by 10pm – but the celebrations carried on regardless.

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Darts, Dominoes & Pub Games

The Bull’s Head was once home to one of Warwickshire’s most competitive darts teams.

• 1986–1990: The team, captained by John Westbrook with Tony Wright as secretary, won several league titles.

• They claimed Division 3 in 1986/87, Division 2 in 1987/88, and Division 1 in 1989/90.

• A dispute with landlord John Wilmot forced the team to move temporarily to the Social Club, but their legacy remained tied to the Bull.

Alongside darts, dominoes and bar games in the snug (the “Snug Bar”) were central to village life for decades.

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 Traditions & Local Quirks

• Climbing the Rafters: In the snug bar, some locals made a tradition of climbing across the rafters after a few pints. Diane Wright recalls attempting it twice in the late 1970s with “helpful men” to catch her if she fell. Judi Booth remembers her daughter’s crowd repeating the tradition every New Year’s Eve.

• Staff in Uniforms: During the 1980s, when the Olivers were licensees, staff all wore matching green uniforms, marking a memorable era of pub pride.

• The Garden Swing: In the 1980s, the Bull’s Head boasted a garden swing – fondly remembered by local families.
   

Memories from the Community

The Bull’s Head isn’t just bricks and mortar – it’s a collection of stories, friendships, and shared moments that have shaped the village.

• Roma Warrilou (1986/87): During heavy snow, she cooked hot meals for stranded villagers when no one could get through the roads.

• Tony & Diane Wright: Lifelong locals, their stories span floods, chimney collapses, rafters, and more. Tony was even once barred by Mrs. Mills for laughing at the wrong moment!

• The Usher Family: Forever remembered New Year’s Eve 10pm beer shortage.