Built at the end of the 18th century The Two Brewers was one of five pubs in the little suburb of St James. It was quite an affluent area at the time with successful businesses like tanneries and laundries taking advantage of the abundant water as did the Two Brewers which brewed its own beer.

Next to where the pub now stands was a large Elizabethan house with ornate gardens which can be seen in the section of Upjohn's 1799 plan of Shaftesbury above. It was owned for many years by the wealthy Merefield family whose crest can still be seen today above the row of houses that replaced it.

During the 19th century a lot of the larger buildings were replaced by small workers cottages and poor houses occupied by large families. By the end of the 19th century a lot of premises in St James and Gold Hill were in a very unsanitary condition. Victorian social reform was in the air, however, and most of these small cottages were either demolished or modernised.

Above is a picture of the Two Brewers c. 1900 showing the landlord of 50 years, Seymour Usher, sitting in his well kept gardens. Local historian Eric Olsen's excellent books on the area inform us that Seymour was also a novelty violinist in his youth who's music hall act involved taking a pony on stage and using it's tail to play his violin.

In the early 20th century St James had a reputation of being a bit rowdy and fights between the drovers and farm labourers were not uncommon. By this time there were only three pubs left in the street. One was called the Fox and Hounds and the other The Hand in Hand which also brewed its own beer. Both these pubs closed in the 1950's.

Today St James is a very pleasant community at the centre of which is Ye Olde Two Brewers Inn.