Hancock's the sign of hospitality

The old 'Hancock's' sign outside the Castle Inn in Cardigan.

In 1807 the Hancock family founded what was to become one of the biggest breweries in the Southwest.

Hancock’s employed over half the town of Wiveliscombe’s workforce and owned most of its 36 pubs.

Over the next decade Hancock's bought up a total of eight breweries across south Wales.

The rapid growth of the south Wales brewing operation, prompted William Hancock Jnr. to set up a separate company called the William Hancock and Co. Ltd, registered in 1887, by which time it had acquired 46 public houses in Cardiff and 31 in Newport with others including The Castle Inn in Cardigan.

Hancock’s Brewery - Wiveliscombe closed in 1960.

In 1968 the company, William Hancock and Co. Ltd, was incorporated into the Bass Charrington Group.

[Shepherdman]

That is a very welcoming sign!

[ajisaac]

@shepherdman Yes indeed. The sign is still up but I think the pub may have recently closed. Sometimes closed pub signs with the name of the pub above the Hancock's man come up for sale at auction.