This year, 2009, has seen the formation of a new Amateur Dramatic Society in  Aveton Gifford called The Taverners. The origin of the name dates back to 1951.

At that time there was an inn in the village called the “Commercial”, the publicans being Rose and Eric Slade. A professional company of actors directed by Henry McCarthy had been set up to bring classical plays out into the provinces and the Commercial was one of the venues chosen. The first performance was “Twelfth Night”, by William Shakespeare, the cast arriving by coach in full costume, which must have been quite a spectacle. No charge was made for attendance and their performances proved to be a great success and continued until 1962.

During this period a competition was held to find a new name to replace the rather pedestrian “Commercial” and one of the regulars, Bus Driver, Wally Woodruff, came up with the winner, “The Taverners”, after the name of the acting company. A new sign was designed showing the masks of comedy and tragedy and this led to many people connected with theatre and television visiting the village. They included Jack Hawkins, Peter O’Toole, Lady Isobel Barnet and Richard Dimbleby.

The Inn was probably the oldest existing in the parish, is thought to date back to the 18th century and was originally a coaching inn. It possessed tethering rings for horses on its frontage, a mounting block and stabling at the rear of a cobbled yard with accommodation for the coachmen above. It had various names during its long career. In 1842 it was the Ring of Bells when the church boasted this means of summoning worshippers. It then became the “Commercial”, this wording being preceded by the name of the landlord as in “Farley’s Commercial”.  

The inn has now been converted to housing, called Taverners Cottages, so the new theatrical group will be unable to use the same venue as the professional company. But no doubt their fame will spread and we can expect the village to attract more celebrities from the world of entertainment who will be able to stay at the one surviving inn, the “Fisherman’s Rest”!