Our Story

The pub undoubtedly takes its name from the visit to Elmley Castle by Queen Elizabeth I during August 1575. It could well be that some of the Queen’s very large retinue for whom no room could be found in the mansion house where she stayed with the Savage family, were quartered here.

Unfortunately records from the time are sparse, and it isn’t until the mid-1800’s that we have definite proof of ale being served from the premises, alongside a tailoring business !!

More recently, from 1963 until 2005 the pub was owned by Marstons Brewery, and run by the larger than life Tony Howells – during much of this time there were three pubs in our small village, all very well patronised.

But times have changed, the other two pubs have closed their doors for good, and The Queen Elizabeth Inn was sold privately in 2008, and from then until 2014 was run under a number of different guises.

In 2014, a group of villagers were able to purchase a lease on the pub, and after an extensive internal renovation, opened the pub as a community run venture from 1st December 2014.

Today, our community run pub offers a beating heart to the local villagers and a destination venue for visitors from further afield. We operate a bar, restaurant and tea room, offer takeaway food, a virtual village shop, book library, and host many community group activities. We are of course family and dog-friendly.

Our community venture is supported by 36 local shareholders, a full time professional team of kitchen and front of house staff, and a back office made up of between 15 and 20 volunteers covering a wide range of activities from marketing, maintenance, operations management, accounting, gardening and so much more. Volunteers also support our Front of House staff during busy periods.

As a community pub, we aim to showcase local suppliers, making the best of locally grown and reared seasonal produce.