The Wig & Fidgett , Straight Road

The Wig And Fidgett
The Wig And Fidgett


It is thought that the present Wig and Fidgett was built about 1855. There are many stories concerning the origin of the name. One refers to a previous hostelry, a base for smugglers, which was destroyed by fire in a raid by Customs officials (Tales of Old Boxted). Another suggests that it was used ( deletion) by magistrates as a courthouse. The most plausible explanation is that it derives from the names of the men who built it, Obadiah Wigg and Nathaniel Fidgett.

Like the rest of the Boxted Pubs, the Wig and Fidgett had a parcel of land belonging to the property, so its landlord was both a publican and farmer. The early ownership of the pub is not known, but towards the end of the 19 th century, it was owned by Daniel’s and Sons of West Bergholt. During the economic depression that followed the First World War, one of the tenants, Bob Harris, owned a sawmill powered by a traction engine, which provided him with another source of income. Bob Harris’ successor, Harry King, farmed land in Queen’s Head Road. The best remembered tenant of these inter-war years was Bert Breed, an ex-Navy Chief Petty Officer. Following the Second World War, Daniel’s and Sons sold their brewery to Trumans of London who closed the West Bergholt brewery, using the premises as a store. However, they continued to supply the tied houses with beer from their London brewery in Brick Lane. As brewing became more competitive, Trumans sold the West Bergholt property and offered the tied houses for sale.

The Wig and Fidgett was sold privately and was the last pub in Boxted to remain open before it too closed in 2005.