Originally the village public house was built and operated by the mine owners, under the name of the Colliery Inn.
Mine working began in 1844, the pub must have followed shortly afterwards, the 1851 census records the publicans as John and Elizabeth Robinson.
By 1910 the publican was John Hepplewhite and in 1914 John Dixon was in charge. Listed in the 1924 Kelly’s Directory, Hugh Steele was mentioned as the publican. In the 1929 Census the publican was Albert Sanderson.
Kelly’s Directory of 1934 states that Joseph Blake was registered as running the Colliery Inn.
The landlady in the 1950’s was Nellie Blake, who organised the victorious darts team.
Over the years the name of the establishment changed from the Colliery Inn, to Burnhope Inn, the Board Inn, and finally to the Cartwheel Inn.
Behind the Inn at one time was a 5’s court, whippet racing, and pitch and toss games were carried out there too.
Sam and Mary Turnock moved from the Black Horse Inn and became proprietors of the Board Inn. In the early 1970’s, their daughter and her husband, Joan and Bill Bradley, took over and renamed it the Cartwheel Inn. Bill carried out a series of internal alterations.
The story behind the name change to the Cartwheel is the Board Inn could be confused with the Board Inn Office licence. Indeed on one notable occasion new carpets were ordered for the Board Inn (opposite the old Co-op store) but were delivered to the Board Inn Off Licence (opposite the old Vicarage). Billy Elgie, the proprietor refused to return the carpets to the rightful establishment.
Adjoining the pub were 2 shops. At one time Mr. Dodds was the butcher in the end one before he moved up the village to where Helen’s shop is today.
Tom and June Ellison were next door to Mr. Dodds selling general provisions before Bobby Cummings acquired the business to sell hardware. Billy Foster took over the premises as a general dealer and then Billy bought a bus from Bertie Patterson and converted it into a travelling shop, affectionately known as “Billy Bertie’s Bus.”
Finally, when it became vacant for the last time, it was demolished and replaced by three town houses – Grey’s Buildings. The public house had stood on that site for over 120 years.
It is believed by many people that the pub building was haunted after witnessing strange experiences there.
