A pub just miles south of Manchester was once a place where criminals on death row would go to eat their last meal. According to the landlord of the Dun Cow, in Knutsford, the pub has a colourful history, being one of the only stop off points between Macclesfield and Knutsford for those due to be hanged.
In modern times, for a great meal and an insight into some fascinating Cheshire history, the Dun Cow pub is well worth a visit. Anyone enjoying their dinner here won't be having their last meal before facing the executioner, but that was once the gruesome norm for this old building, according to its landlord.
CheshireLive paid a visit last week and found a full car park and plenty of customers ready to sample the menu. The pub is child-friendly and also welcomes well-behaved dogs.
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There's something a little different about the building of the Dun Cow. Landlord Curtis Joyson said: “This was the main road from Macclesfield to Knutsford, there was no other road really, I believe it was a stop-off point and they used to use it as a Court House and also a jail.
“Subsequently when people were found guilty they’d take them up to Knutsford to be hanged after that. The place where they were hanged is on the site of Booth’s car park in Knutsford today."
The Courthouse in Knutsford was then built in front of the spot where hangings took place. The Courthouse itself, which was the scene of the high-profile trial of Alan Turing, is now a hotel and restaurant. The last hanging on the site of what is now Booth’s car park in Knutsford, was in 1912.
Curtis added: “There used to be a Cromwellian jail cell under the building, and so it was around the time of Oliver Cromwell that we know this building was here.
"It was used as a stop-off point and it’s been used as a police station as well as a court, it just changed over time. I think it'd been a post office at one point, it was just everything.”
The name “Dun Cow” is old English and simply means Brown Cow. However, the legend of a giant “Dun Cow” exists in many areas of the country in differing folk tales. The “Dun Cow” was said to be a savage beast roaming Dunsmore Heath, an area west of Dunchurch, in Warwickshire, which was reputedly slain by Guy of Warwick.
Whether you believe any of the folk tales or not, the historic building between Knutsford and Macclesfield scores highly on Trip Advisor and is certainly worth sampling. A starter of Black Pudding, with Bean Ragu, Polenta Cakes and Poached Egg always goes down well. Baked Lamb Henry certainly hits the spot for a main course. Dessert of Jersey Ice-cream from the local Hopewall Farm foods made a nice local Cheshire touch to the menu.
