Early 1900s
Ogbourne St Andrew once had two adjoining pubs: The Wheatsheaf — still standing today as The Silks — and a beer house known as The Axe & Compass. The beer house’s days as a pub ended by 1937.
The
Silks
on the Downs
Our Story
A village pub with deep roots — and a future owned by the community.
1950s
The Axe & Compass building was used for housing until Ushers Brewery, then owners of The Wheatsheaf, demolished it to make way for a car park as motor travel became part of village life.
2020s
When the pub closed during the pandemic, villagers refused to let it go. Residents formed the Ogbourne Community Pub Society, raised funds, and purchased the freehold in May 2022 — renovating and reopening The Silks for everyone.
Today
The Silks is a Community Benefit Society. Profits are reinvested into the pub and village life — from a defibrillator to facilities for cyclists and walkers exploring the downs.
With thanks to the Ogbourne St Andrew History Group.
More historic photographs can be found in the pub’s corridor and dining room.