The Volunteer Inn
Volunteer was built in 1703 and as far as we can find out, it possibly became a pub in 1840s. It ceased trading in 1973 when it was sold by the brewery to the Gray family. The Grays converted it back into a house.
We bought Volunteer in 2001 and it still looks much the same from the outside.
The door between the two windows (beneath the pub sign), used to lead into the Saloon Bar, which is now our study; the door was replaced some years ago with another window. We are currently renovating the property back to its former glory. Local people have told us various stories from years gone by when this place was a Pub!
Local research has shown that the Volunteer was owned by Benjamin Vokes in the 1840s until 1890s; he built the Public Bar which is to the right of the picture (can't be fully seen though in the picture). There was also a Jug & Bottle which was entered via yet another door (Volunteer had 4 front doors in total)! Benjamin Vokes and his wife are both buried at our local church.
The house has a cellar which we have taken full advantage of!
The large car park was sold off 30 years ago or so and a house has been built there.
If anyone else has any memories of The Volunteer Inn please get in touch!
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RE: RE: The Volunteer Inn
I was a regular at the 'Volleys' in the late 1960s/early 1970s, for some of the local lads it was a second home. The landlady at the time was Cath Sayers, a lovely lady who I remember with much affection, although I seem to remember the pub was run by her son, a very nice guy. Entering the public bar, to the right was a football table behind which were two archways that led into a back room that looked out on to the back garden. This back room was painted black with a single red light bulb and was adorned with posters of Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. The seating consisted of church pews around the walls. In the corner near the bar was the best juke box in Hampshire. The pub did have a bit of a reputation as the customers were mainly young, long-haired and a bit exotic, which raised a few curious eyebrows amongst the locals. You may be interested to know that the actor Sir James Robertson Justice was a regular in the pub and was often seen sat at the bar, he lived not far from Twyford near the end of his life. Good luck with your renovations it's nice to know that the old Volunteers is still giving pleasure.
Comment from Dave Parker on Saturday, 21st November 2009.