About Us

Here is just a little info to let you get to know us better...

History

Here is a little potted history of our pub and the local area... if you have a spare minute or two and maybe a cup of tea (or is that a G&T), we think it's well worth a read.

Our forebears from many hundreds of years ago were every bit as entrepreneurial as we might consider ourselves, and the deep history of the Falcon demonstrates clearly how many of our current businesses were seeded way back in the roots of time and still bear fruit today.

The Falcon was built in 1770, five miles north of Banbury and on the road to Warwick. It was built there to specifically take advantage of the busy turnpike road that led to the expanding centre of commerce that was Birmingham, and faced the tiny Toll House cottage, where travellers would have to stop to pay their levy for their on-going journey.

The road, now the B4100, was  turnpiked under an Act of Parliament of 1727 which permitted a  private company of trustees to take over the roads from Birmingham to  Warmington via Warwick (and the Birmingham to Edgehill road via  Stratford-upon-Avon) and to exact tolls for road maintenance and  improvement. These roads lay wholly within the county of Warwickshire   and it was a few years before the next section of the road from   Warmington to the south through Banbury was also turnpiked. It was   the manufacturers of the Birmingham region who badly wanted the road   improved for conveying their products.

The gradient on Warmington Hill has been improved on several occasions, but was quite precipitous in those early days. It is likely extra horses would have been needed to help heavy loads up the hill and the pub would be the obvious place to unhitch them before they were returned downhill.

What better place to take advantage of passing trade horses could be fed and watered, and re-shoed if necessary, coaches could be repaired , and the travellers themselves would be in need of sustenance, a pleasant rest from the toils of travel, and perhaps a bed for the night.

One of Alexander Carse's 17th century works, 'Revellers in an Inn', depicts a happy group consisting of local men, women, children and some finely dressed soldiers, with a family as the central tableau in the foreground. Whilst they eat and drink (even the child is being helped to a glass of punch from the shared bowl) a band plays in the background, and the patrons of the inn raise their arms and dance.

Much like now, in fact.

What is now the Falcon was at one time called called the Hare and Hounds, then became the Hare and Dog - the hunting of hares was a popular sport. The stone and thatch property was built by a local carpenter named Samuel Taylor, who had already built several cottages and converted various buildings to residential use within Warmington.

The square plat of land, measuring one rod and one perch (about a quarter of a acre) , had been granted to a local man, Thomas Parish, in lieu of the right to graze two sheep on the common lands when the fields surrounding the village were enclosed, Previously, it had been very rare to be able to build outside the curtilage of the village, but in this manner Thomas was able to take advantage of the opportunities the turnpike afforded.

Thomas Parish, a childless widower, died in 1798, and the property passed to his nephew William Parish, a woolcomber from Northamptonshire, who duely sold it on to a local farmer, James Jobson, for £18 and 18 shillings. He himself sold the land on to the aforementioned carpenter Samuel Taylor who had actually previously built the property.

Samuel Taylor owned the property for nine or ten years before he sold it to a local publican, Thomas Wilkins of Warmington.

Thomas Wilkins already owned a pub in the village, called the Hare and Hounds, and it was during his time as landlord of the two pubs that he transferred the name the 'Hare and Hounds' from the pub in the middle of the village to the pub on the main road opposite the Toll house. The pub in the village then was re-named the Plough.

The new Hare and Hounds was known by that moniker for some 150 years, and was subsequently re-named The Wobbly Wheel in 1970: about this time it lost its thatched roof as a result of a fire.

Presumably the pub had become so-named in recognition of the 19th century Wyatt family, who had a long association with the pub as tenant landlords, while continuing to operate their trade as wheelwrights servicing the carriages using the toll road, as well as local agricultural and domestic transport. William Wyatt held the licence from 1816 until his death in 1856, and was succeeded for many years by his son of the same name.

The Wobbly Wheel operated under the auspices of the Spirit Group, then became a 'Brewer's Fayre' under Whitbread, who built a 54 bedroom hotel to the rear of the pub.

But then, on the afternoon of Thursday 5th September 2013, a fire started in the roof space of the hotel, which was consumed by flames. Thankfully, all were evacuated and no-one was injured, though the hotel was eventually pulled down.

We bought the property in 2015 and renamed it the Falcon, to signal the major change in operation.

Publicans

  • Thomas WILKINS had become the licensee of the pub in Warmington village in 1807. It was called The Plough.
  • The Hare and Hounds was operating as a tavern in 1847, run by William Wyatt who was a farmer, wheelwright and publican. It was in a track-side location so a wheel wright would have been in demand. When William Wyatt was publican the pub was called the Hare and Hounds. He was still there in 1850.
  • In 1866, COLEMAN Thomas is listed against 'Hare and Hounds.'
  • In the National Archives, there are deeds relating to the Hare and Hounds (also known as the Hare and Dog), together with nine acres purchased by the Reverend Charles William Holbech from John Alfred Stranks for £1,000.
  • In a trade directory of 1869, John Tasker was the Victualler of the Hare and Hounds, and the Wyatt family were still listed as wheelwrights. He was still there in 1874.
  • In 1883 a RN Mace is listed as "Hare and Hounds".
  • In 1928, Taylor William is at the Hare and Hounds public house.

(from electoral registers): William TAYLOR (in 1920), Frederick Henry BENNETT (in 1939)

Particular thanks to Liz Newman, local historian, for her invaluable help in compiling this article and sharing her hard-won knowledge so freely.

If you wish to know more about Warmington, there is an excellent website here, which has informed much of this article:

http://www.warmingtonheritage.com

If youd like to put a name to a face, allow us to introduce you to the crew...


Front of house

Adam

Meet Adam, our endlessly positive and ever-dreaming General Manager at the Falcon. A true Northern lad with a baby face that belies nearly two decades in the hospitality world, Adam brings a unique mix of warmth, wisdom, and a touch of magic to the pub. Known for his "posi-vibes" mantra, he’s on a mission to make the Falcon not just a well-oiled machine but the happiest pub in the Brunning & Price family. 

Adam believes the true magic of hospitality lies in how we make our guests feel. His drive is all about ensuring every visitor leaves with a smile, a story, and a lingering warmth that makes them want to come back for more.

Joshua

Deputy Manager

Meet Josh, (yes another one!), but some of us call him Monk.

He is our Deputy Manager dedicated to Hospitality, (but also to his wife Beth) and his job. To say he travels for work would be an understatement! A happy & smiley lad from the black country who has worked in hospitality for 12 years from being a chef in kitchens part time while studying hospitality up to his masters degree, to being that smiling face at the front door, he has done it all.

His very relaxed manner is one of the reasons he gets along with the crew so well. You can probably catch him singing to whatever song gets stuck in his head. But don't let that fool you, he loves the hustle and bustle of a busy service and you can see him constantly moving during service.

But he does occasionally pause to look at the dogs that come through the door, but this doesn't surprise us as he loves all cats and dogs, and even has 3 cats at home. He will go out of his way to make sure that everyone that comes through our doors are happy and well looked after, doesn't matter if your part of the team or coming for a meal, he will constantly ask if "you are all good".

Victoria

Assistant Manager

Meet Vickie - our Southern gem - who joined us in May and boy, did we hear her coming!

The secret lego enthusiast with a love of performing, Vickie helps with all social media & events with us at the Falcon as well as being a friendly face throughout the day!

Fun Fact - Vickie is a lover of British history and writes about the Kings and Queens of England (for fun!).

She has been working in hospitality for 16 years - ranging from hotels to kitchens across London and the South West. Her cheffing background means she can whip up a great spag bowl as well as a cracking espresso martini! Vickie is also a qualified Mental Health first aider, and is very passionate about working with MacMillan - one of our chosen charities.

She has a young son and a daughter 'on the way!' so you will definitely be able to see her coming as well as hear her when you visit the Falcon!

Eloise

Supervisor

Meet Eloise, our pint-sized powerhouse and youngest-ever supervisor. Don’t let her small frame fool you—this digital marketing grad and hockey enthusiast tackles challenges head-on and always gets the job done. With enough energy to fuel the whole team (and then some), she’s the glue that keeps our day running smoothly.

Fearless in the face of chaos, she’s just as quick to solve a problem as she is to claim the first round at the pub. And if you manage to make her laugh, you’ll be treated to the most heartwarming, one-of-a-kind chuckle that could melt even the toughest critic. Eloise is the ultimate mix of brains, brawn, and banter—a true legend in the making.

Mel

Bar/Waiting

Mel is a passionate gardener and loves socialising and eating out. She has two grandchildren that she loves spending time with and a wonderful family. Mel is also extremely passionate about mental health and is a qualified MIND mental health first aider. Before joining us she worked in Event Management for 25 years.

Katie

Bar/Waiting

Katie is one of our wonderful servers at the Falcon. Always ready to greet customers with her big smile and matching personality. Never one to stand still you will always find her keeping herself busy at work, whether that's running food, talking to tables or giving every dog that comes into the pub their own personal greeting. Outside of work she also keeps herself busy by playing rugby and by studying to become a cardiology doctor.


Kitchen

Peter

Sous Chef

After moving to Banbury and working several years in retail, Peter finally decided to take the leap and pursue his dreams of being a chef in 2015. Since then he has enjoyed the highs and lows of the industry but has never lost his smile or sense of humour. When not making jokes he loves to talk about his lovely wife and two sons, so much so they are basically a part of our Falcon family as much as he is.