The Boar (formerly Wild Boar) has a pub sign that is fixed to the front wall of the building and features a wild boar with the name in white lettering beneath.
The Boar Inn is an old fashioned friendly pub located facing a duckpond in the village of Moddershall in the beautiful Moddershall valley. It has plenty of outdoor seating in a tranquil setting.
Features of the pub include;
Disabled Access
Pub Garden
Traditional Pub Games
Live Music
Real Fire
Restaurant Area
Separate Bar
Smoking Area
The Boar Inn is not open all day and is cash only.
Opening hours
Saturday - Sunday: 12:00-00:00
Monday - Friday: 15:00-23:30
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An article about the pub reads as follows;
"Moddershall, although not as important as the Churnet Valley forges and water mills, seems to have been central to the Industrial Revolution in the mid 18th century with the growing population in the villages needing more corn and for the increasing pottery trades. And fundamental to village life and work has always been the inn. The Boar at Moddershall is no exception, managed these days by business partners Jeanette Halls and Debbie Williams.
“We’ve been at the Boar for the past eight years,” says Jeanette. “It’s always been a traditional pub and we’ve tried to keep it that way.”
One of the first innkeepers was William Moss who in 1910 planted a yew tree in his garden shaped like a boar beside his mill. The yew tree remains a feature of the old pub today but the topiary has gone. The Boar Mill next to the mill with an 18 foot diameter wheel, 4 feet wide with a driving force of 44 hp. The last miller was Joseph Brooks.
“I understand the mill was in use until 1954,” says Jeanette. “Shortly after it closed it was demolished. It now forms part of the car park. The whole covers two acres of woodland and has won conservation prizes over the years.”
Jeannette and Debbie recall previous innkeepers, Mr Gilbert and Tom Waring.
“Don’t get me going on Tom Waring,” says Debbie fearfully. “The pub is haunted by his ghost.”
If I had a pound for every time a publican related a story of a hostelry haunting I’d be well rich by now. I try to get away by faking mock interest but no ruse will stop Jeanette and Debbie going on about men with “crisp white shirts billowing in the cellars,” and “the sudden smell in the taproom of fresh fag smoke,” and “the cleaner’s mother’s favourite perfume.” What is it with pubs and spirits?
The Boar’s name supposedly comes from hunting, in fact there is a carved stone figure of a boar on the stables next door, but no one seems to know where the name came from; but the beer is good."
Source: Write to Roam - exploring Stoke-on-Trent City Limits with Fred Hughes interviews and articles by Fred Hughes - pictures by Steve Birks (unless otherwise noted)
- when reading these articles remember that areas may have been developed/demolished since the original article was written - (
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A photograph of the pub - 1925 - 1930 (c.) can be seen at the following link: (
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