The Pheasant Inn
THE PHEASANT INN 68 UPPER BAR, NEWPORT
Licensed premises from at least 1672 to the present
In 1672 the earliest reference to the Pheasant is when the town clerk reported: A stranger, A young man, supposed a shoemaker, passing from London towards Lankisheire dyed at the Pheasant on 24th and buried the 25th day.
The map shows Thomas Farnell’s ‘Pheasant House’ ‘at the barrs’. 
This was the place where the town had gates. Farnell paid £2 pa. to the owner Thomas Talbot, who lived at Longford Hall.
In 1910 the inn was described the inn as Fully Licenced public house. Pheasant Inn. 4 rooms + Bathroom on 1st floor, 4 attics [rooms], Bar, 2 Smoke Rooms, Sitting room, Kitchen, Scullery and Stabling. The inn was never a coaching inn, but it had stables, an extensive yard and a ‘posting’ business, especially after Richard Sherry took over in the 1850s. ‘Posting ‘ is similar to a taxi service, but using horses. He had available: a landau, flies, dog cart, gig, spring cart, mourning coach, hearse and a ‘break’ for 14 horses.
A gig – Light two wheeled carriage pulled by one horse
The building today does not date back to the 17thcentury; it is a typically Georgian. Interesting features at the front are: a window on the 2nd floor that has been blocked in as a result of the Window Tax in the 18th century, and, on the left an elaborate cast iron rainwater hopper and down pipe with an unusual barley twist stem. At the rear are two extensions; all associated with activities essential to the running of the inn: brewing, stabling, servicing horses and vehicle storage.
There is a horse tethering ring beside the door of the south range
The stables at the back (now called the ‘Dog House’) were used and still are, for events and meetings. It was built c 1870 and was referred to as the ‘New large brick and tile coach-house’. Joules carried out extensive alterations to the inn and by Christmas 1881 had a room to hold dances at 3d per head. In addition, we see in 1899, a first attempt to set up a trade union in Newport. Here Jack Beard started a branch of The Workers Union – later the TGWU.
Before the National Health Service there were many societies, which helped people pay for sickness, funerals, etc. One of these was the The Oddfellows Friendly Society who met here and built the Oddfellows houses (19-41 Avenue Road) for their members.
From1993 the inn became a mecca for sports TV and sponsorship of local sports team. Paul Quinn took over and made it the ‘go to’ destination for events and sport.
World Cup 2010
Interesting note for beer lovers!! In 1993 the way barrels came in to The Phez was by barrels being moved through the Shakespeare Inn yard, across the alley, into a side door and over to the beer drop in the yard! The beer drop was removed and a new beer drop put in the alley.