Revolution House/Cock & Magpie, Old Whittington.
From: InnSpire - Issue 15 – October 1998

The Old Revolution House on High Street, Old Whittington Chesterfield is situated near the now busy main road between Eckington & Chesterfield. This charming thatched cottage was formerly an alehouse; the wooden sign in the well kept garden states, ‘the Old Revolution House formerly the Cock & Pynot Inn’. It now takes its name from the Revolution of 1688, as the plaque on the side of the cottage states; “In a room which formerly existed at the end of this cottage what is left of the Old Cock & Pynot, the Earl of Danby, the Earl of Devonshire & Mr john Darcy eldest son of the Earl of Holderness met sometime in 1688 to concert measures which resulted in the revolution of that year”.

These three local noblemen as history & tradition relate met to plan their part in the events, which led to the overthrow of James II. Today the cottage contains a display of 17th century country furniture & has a programme of changing exhibitions & a film telling of the Revolution.

Soon after the centenary of the Revolution George Glossop the landlord erected a new building at the back of the Revolution House. Trade was soon transferred to the new ‘Cock & Magpie’ (which maybe an earlier form of the present public house), & the cottage was let to tenants. The two buildings being no more than a few paces apart blend well with each other. The Cock & Magpie is at the time of writing, in August adorned with hanging baskets & window boxes making a brilliant display for the front of this welcoming pub. In between the flowers is another plaque commemorating the visit by HRH the Prince of Wales on 2/6/88 to mark the occasion of the tercentenary of the glorious revolution 1688-1988.

Unaccredited