The Brown Jug Inn public house was located by the toll house on the route of the 1748 turnpike road from Bowes to Sunderland Bridge.  In its early days, the pub would have provided refreshment for the many cart men travelling past its doors.  The main cargo was coal being transported by horse and cart from the local pits to such places as Darlington and Richmond.  There was a pottery along the lane to New Moors farm and its speciality product was the glazed brown jug, hence the name for the pub.

At one time, J.W. Camerons & Co. Ltd. of Hartlepool owned the pub and later, the Brown Jug was bought by a private concern, becoming a “free house”.

From the 1970’s onwards, the pub gained a reputation for good “pub grub”, its speciality dish being the “Brown Jug Steak Pie”.  From the 1980’s it was popular for Sunday lunches.  However, changing trends, resulted in the decline of trade and eventual closure.  The land was bought by a housing developer some years ago and a start was made on the construction of a number of houses and bungalows. The uncertain economic climate appears to have halted to the housing scheme.  

The plan below shows the location of the Brown Jug, c.1921. 

An early photo of the Brown Jug when the publican was Thomas Ord.

Below:

Date, 1930’s? The pub has the addition of ground floor bay windows.

Below:

A young resident, Neil Pybus of Evenwood Gate with the Brown Jug in the background, probably early 1970’s

A large side extension provided a room for the restaurant.

Menus

Date 2012:  A sorry sight

Date probably 2016: Construction about to start