Cromwell the shire horse joins the team at Hook Norton's famous brewery

The horse joins the team of three other shire horses onsite that work delivering barrels of beer to Hook Norton’s pubs.

Cromwell will live alongside 25-year-old now retired Nelson, five-year-old Brigadier and five-year-old Balmoral who was purchased last year.

As well as delivering beer, the horses greet visitors to the brewery and make around 75 public engagements every year, which include TV appearances, competitions, village fetes and weddings.

Head coachman at Hook Norton Brewery, Nicholas Carter, said: ‘We’re thrilled to welcome our latest addition to the team. This young horse caught my eye back in October, and after watching his progress, we looked to purchase him this February.

"He’s a remarkable colour match to our other horses and with his inquisitive and friendly nature, I look forward to a promising future with him. It’s also a bold statement from our team of directors that our Shire Horses are valued team members and will continue to remain a prominent part of the brewery's future for years to come.”

Cromwell joins the brewery’s workforce from a renowned breeder in Lincolnshire. He will spend the next two years greeting visitors, competing and visiting the brewery’s pubs before being trained to drive a dray once he is four years old.

Hook Norton Brewery is one of only three in the country that routinely use shire horses for deliveries, and it became a Shire Horse Society approved centre in 2021, hosting training days and events promoting the breed and the skills of working them to ensure their place in the modern world.