A toast to The Barley Mow

Karen Neville

Peter Lawrence tells us about The Barley Mow in The Sands which has been revived thanks to a committed group of hardworking locals

In March 2024, Suzanna Anslow, Gary Selby, and Dominic Whittle launched a campaign to raise the funds for The Barley Mow pub to stop it being sold by the Stonegate Group for development. The goal was to keep The Barley Mow open for the community for the next century, a mission the local area feel deeply passionate about.  

The response was overwhelming, with many people stepping up to help save the pub. After months of complex legal negotiations, 108 investors – both large and small – united by their shared passion, successfully purchased the pub in September 2024. The locals did it! 

With the work lying ahead, everyone joined forces to restore the pub in time for its opening on October 19th, 2024. The garden cleared, the kitchen expanded, and the cellar refurbished to serve fresh local beers. 

The pub is incredibly fortunate to have Helen and Lee on board to manage the pub. They bring a passion for delicious food, a warm welcome and years of experience in running excellent pubs. 

The Barley Mow is still a very traditional pub and steeped in history. It is thought that the pub was built around 1860, when John Brake, age 41, was the Innkeeper. He had a seven year Deed at a rent of £42 per annum. 

Up to 1900, there were few houses in The Sands and the pub’s trade was mainly workers and men walking to Farnham from Cutmill and Littleworth. Other trade came from people coming to Crooksbury to collect whortleberries and general walkers. Beer was only tuppence (less than 1p) a pint.  

From 1900 to 1935, there was a very strong pub/village cricket team and everyone used to enjoy the end-of-match tea provided by The Barley Mow.   

In the pub, there were two rooms on the right of the front door – the parlour and the tap room. The room on the left was the bar. The extension to the left-hand side was originally built as a skittle alley, but subsequently became a coal-shed. The publican  was also a gamekeeper, hence the parlour was filled with stuffed animals in glass cases around the walls. An outhouse was where ferrets and Spaniels were bred. The outside lavatories were not brought inside until the mid 1960s.  

A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who contributed to saving The Barley, with special recognition to Gary and Jacqs Selby, who never wavered in their determination to ensure The Barley Mow is preserved for the next century.  A pub able to produce wonderful homemade food and a wide choice of local beers.  

See thebarleymow.co.uk for opening hours and more information and find us at The Barley Mow, Littleworth Road, The Sands, Farnham GU10 1NE. To book your table for a delicious meal – please ring 01252 881188.