It's hard to believe this large house called 'Chipton' would become the pub we know today. It was built pre-1890 in what was then Heene Lane.

It was, and still is, situated in a large plot of land and, as seen here, has a proper front garden with steps leading up to the front door.

It was typical of the villa-style of properties still found in Heene Road. The top roof windows were originally three individual settings, but at the time of this picture had been joined up to create one long section and are a little out of keeping.

The most unusual change was yet to come.

For reasons unknown, the front garden was built over and became five shops butting up to the house. The gap between two of them became a covered passageway to the now-renamed 'Chipton Private Hotel'.

There were steps up to bring you level with the front door, which can just be made out in the picture, left.

Somehow, Chipton managed to regained the use of three of the shops, one on the right and two on the left.

These were opened up to create the ground floor front of the pub. The original steps in the passageway were removed and repositioned back to where the front door was originally. Remember this as you go to the bar upstairs, that was the front door.

This map picture gives a better visual understanding of the changes. The length of the front garden is clearly seen, the front wall becomes the position of the shop fronts.

Just to the left of the steps up to the front door is a cut-out that we think was the entrance to the cellar, possibly the trade entrance to the kitchen and larder, being such a large building and serving as a hotel.

As you enter today, just at the foot of the stairs and on the same left-hand side, is the way down to the function room below. We believe these are the same steps that served the cellar.

Hard to imagine what was outside is now inside!

We discovered an advert for Strollers in November 1982, declaring it a "Newly opened Free House Pub". Prior to this, we believe it was a members/guests-only bar within the hotel.

In 1997, Poppies Bar, within Strollers, raised £1,000 for the St Barnabas Hospice. This was under the name of Berties' Charity, a local group raising funds for various projects.

From our visit in 2012.

The internal structure reflects its origin as a large villa-like property. The bar isn't large, but it does invite you to drift off to one of the four separate areas.

The front, downstairs, features one side with a Victorian-style armchairs whilst the other is more traditional pub furniture.

The forecourt has ample room outside and is furnished with benches. The rear garden is very large and a great place in summer. A function room is below ground level where the cellar used to be.
 

 Time Line

A little bit extra

1999 - Renamed The Charles Dickens

2003: Bill Hopkins, 73, held a 12 hour pool games marathon in the pub to rise money for the Chestnut Tree House Children's Hospice.