History

In 1818, with the completion of the new road from Manchester to Hyde, new buildings were erected on the roadside. On May 2nd 1823 an indenture was drawn up between John Lowe and George Gosling and Jonathan Gibbons for the last two to lease the public house. By 1824 Charles Knott had taken over the lease of the Lowes Arms, which then still resembled a terraced house, but with a coat of arms above the doorway. The arms were those of the Lowe-Side-Botham family and they were still there until the modernisation of 1980, when the sign mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again!

Behind the pub was a barn, which was used as a brewhouse. Charles Knott remained until 1858, when William Stringer took over for three years. In 1861 James Plant was landlord, hut he left shortly afterwards to become licensee of the Red Lion at Crown Point. Slaters directory for 1868 lists David Taylor at the Lowes Arms. Three more landlords, one landlady and 30 years on (in 1899) we find George Hall applying for the license. In the following year Hall acquired the license on behalf of E J Sidebotham, the owner, who lived in Bowden.

The Lowes Arms had altered over the years and at that time there was an attached cottage, stable and five water closets (complete with ash pits). In 1901 William Ashton was the occupier, followed in 1902 by George Henry Ashton, formerly of Kenyon Street, Ashton under Lyne. The beer in those days cost is 4d a gallon, and there being two coal pits in the vicinity, miners would often frequent the house. They would each throw half a crown on the table and with the beer being 2d a pint there was some ale to be had.

On February 1st 1922 the Ashton Family left and George William Wood was installed as landlord. Boddingtons Brewery took over in the same month, paying George Ashton £8,300 for the public house (excluding wet stock). Elizabeth Wood took over from her late husband in 1922 and nine years later Florence Pogson came for just over a year. Percy Hattersley arrived in 1932 and stayed for 21 years, making him one of the longest serving landlords. During Coronation Year 1953, another landlady came to the Lowes Arms - Doreen Ashton, who stayed until June 1955, when Jack Beeley took over.

The next licensees, were travelling from Doncaster to Leigh when they stopped at the Lowes Arms and Jack Beeley told Mr and Mrs Maxwell that the brewery were looking for new people for the Pub. After their stay in Leigh the Maxwells applied to the brewery and duly took the license in April 1961. Mrs Jane Meek took over from the Maxwells in 1967, having moved from the Millstones Inn, Stockport.

Like the Jolly Froggers' on Town Lane, the Lowes Arms had its two resident frogs in the cellar to keep the insects down. There used to be a pond called the Frog Bog nearby, which is perhaps where they originated. Jane Meek died in 1972 and was succeeded by Samuel Haskins. More recently Peter and Jill Wood purchased the freehold in January 1999 intending to enhance the pub's popularity with excellent food and fine ale.