Terry Rowles born 1932 showing his Jubilee Medal outside the Half Moon Inn, Stoke St. Mary, where he commemorates fifty years of his association with the hostelry. He always found his way home !! The Austin 7 also born 1932 is owned by Graham Salter of Stonecroft which is right opposite the Inn so Terry had no problems. Mike and Angie have just celebrated 2 years of pub management and won this year the shield for the best Pub in Bloom award from Taunton Deane.

History of The Half Moon Inn.

Robert Dashwood of Stoke, butcher, had held the house now called The Half Moon since about 1723, and must have possessed ample means to consider acquiring a second house nearby. Though apparently a newcomer to the village, he seems to have gained a respected position in the community: with William Burridge of Stoke Court, he was churchwarden in 1727/28 and 1728/29 and in several subsequent years. He died in 1750 and was buried at Stoke, all his property in the village descending to his widow, Hannah. Hannah Dashwood may have been a Cannicott by birth, a family established in Stoke from about the beginning of the 18th century. At all events, her nephew was Robert Cannicott of Pitminster, carpenter, and it was to him that she surrendered the house in 1751, on condition to fulfil the provisions of her will, surrendering The Half Moon to his brother Henry on the same condition. Robert later held both properties and moved from Pitminster to Stoke, still being described as a carpenter. Perhaps he lived in one house and his son John in another. John, described as of Stoke, gent, succeeded to both properties in 1780, after his father's death. Four years later he himself was dead and his two houses were in the hands of of Elizabeth Cannicott, his widow. In 1789, Elizabeth was married for a second time, to William Brown of Henlade, malster, and by him had three children, Robert, Edward and Eliza Brown. To Edward and Eliza descended The Half Moon, which was Eliza's home, while The Orchard passed to Robert, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy: a deed of 1831 names Bernard Murless as his tenant, calling the house Cannicott's House and the orchard adjoining (now the tennis court) Cannicott's Orchard. By 1837, Sarah Murless was Robert Brown's tenant. In the following year, both the Half Moon and Cannicott's House were sold to Ralph Horsey of Taunton, gent, and in 1842, following his death, they passed to Ralph, John and Samuel Horsey, his heirs.