News & Updates
Looking back at The Royal Oak in Chapel Ash as it turns 120
1st June 2026
On the corner of Compton Road in Chapel Ash, where generations have passed through its doors, The Royal Oak has quietly stood as a witness to Wolverhampton’s changing story.
In 2026, this much-loved Marston’s pub celebrates its 120th birthday – with roots that run even deeper. The Royal Oak is more than bricks and mortar – it’s a place shaped by community and bringing people together for shared good times.
Tracing the pub’s past
Long before the hum of modern-day matchdays and live music filled its rooms, The Royal Oak played an extraordinary role at the heart of local life.
In the mid-1800s, landlord Samuel Taylor offered something few would expect from a pub today - a funeral service run from the yard behind the bar. Known as a “bar to burial” service, it reflected a time when pubs weren’t just social spaces, but essential pillars of community life.
The old coach yard still stands today, a quiet reminder that for well over a century, this pub has been there for Wolverhampton through every moment - the joyful, the everyday, and even the most difficult.
A new era of bringing people together
In 1906, The Royal Oak was transformed into the striking building we recognise today. Commissioned by Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries, the redesign wasn’t just about appearance. It marked a shift in what pubs could be.
These were no longer just places to drink, but places to gather, to connect and belong.
With its red-brick façade, distinctive corner tower and beautiful stained-glass window depicting the Royal Oak tree, the pub became a landmark - both physically and socially. Inside, new spaces like a coffee room and book club room reflected a growing sense that the pub belonged to everyone in the community.
More than a century on, that idea still holds true.
At the heart of Wolverhampton
Few pubs are as closely woven into the identity of their city as The Royal Oak.
Just a short walk from Molineux, it has long been a meeting point for Wolves fans, sharing the highs and lows of football across generations. In the 1920s, one of those pouring pints had already lived that story on the pitch - FA Cup finalist Maurice Woodward, who later became landlord, bringing his own chapter of sporting history behind the bar.
But beyond football, the pub carries echoes of wider history too. Former landlords served in the First World War, their stories a reminder that behind every pub door are lives shaped by events far beyond it.
A constant in changing times
Victorian planners often placed pubs like The Royal Oak on street corners - places where paths naturally cross, where people meet.
Over time, the world around it has transformed. Streets have changed, crowds have grown and Wolverhampton itself has evolved. But the essence of The Royal Oak has remained the same.
It is still a place where people come together.
Today, under the care of its dedicated team, the pub continues that tradition - hosting live music, welcoming local events, and creating new memories for a new generation. The laughter, the conversations, the shared experiences - they are simply the latest layer in a story that has been unfolding for well over a century.
Anniversaries and birthdays invite reflection, but they also remind us of something more important: continuity.
From horse-drawn carriages in the yard, to quiet reading rooms and vibrant community celebrations - The Royal Oak has continually adapted, while never losing its purpose as a community cornerstone.
Read more about The Royal Oak’s 120th birthday celebrations.