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Picture source: Chris Downer

The Sun & Moon Inn was situated on Gold Hill and is now used as a private dwelling.

A grade-II listed former Inn with 18th century front and probably earlier core. The blue plaque reads "A priest's house for St Peter's church in the C16th. Then the Sun and Moon Inn was at the heart of Shaftesbury's market days for over 200 years." Implying the inn opened late 17th or early 18th century. A squint in the wall of the Priest's House looks directly into the neighbouring church of St Peter. Sir Frederick Treves in his 1906 book; Highways and Byways in Dorset unusually mentions the Inn by name so it seems it must still have been an Inn at this time. In 1907 Church authorities bought the crypt of St Peter's Church which had been used as a cellar by the Sun & Moon Inn, for £50. Do we infer from this that the Inn closed around this time? Searching my directories I find, 1851-1859 Charles Morgan brewer & hairdresser, 1875 Miss Louisa Morgan listed as in the Sun & Half Moon, 1889-1895 Charles Dean & horse dealer. As expected, I couldn’t locate it in 1911.

Steve Turner (Decemebr 2021)

Listed building details:

Formerly an Inn. C18 front but probably earlier core. 2 storeys. 3 windows. Plain tiled gabled roof. Stuccoed front; plinth. At left hand end, 3-light casement windows with small panes, both above and below. Beyond, to right hand end, two sash windows 4 panes wide; modern double hung sash at right hand end. On ground floor door with 6 flush panels, top 4 cut away and glazed. Fine wrought iron bracket extends from 1st floor of house.

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