Early in the 20th century a Mrs. Watson had the tenancy of the Woodmans Public House. It was a private pub, owned by the Watson Family, not run by a brewery like they are today. The Woodmans has been altered many times over the years from the original Woodmans which had the beer cellar on the same level as the bar. This is where the Pub got its name because they served the beer from the wood (wooden casks).
In the early thirties it was a house with two rooms; the bar and the singing room or best end. There was a wooden form outside where families could sit and enjoy a drink together (beer or shandy for dad, lemonade for mam and children).

Mrs. Bet Francis, a former barmaid, recalls the days when there used to be an annual flower show on the field across the road with a dance in a marquee at night and the colliery band from Marley Hill playing the music.

Later it was very popular at weekends with the locals, who boasted a very good "Glee Club".

"In the winter months there would be a huge roaring fire in the snug and all the people would squeeze in there to sit for a chat. Later on in the evening we would be entertained by either the Whickham Boys or just some of the regulars who would sing with piano accompaniment.

On summer nights people could be seen sitting in the car park area on low walls drinking a quiet glass of wine or beer, in fact whatever took you fancy. The children would sit there with their glass of pop. Everyone spoke to each other, no one was ever left out and when strangers came along they would be invited into the company and the conversations."

The Woodman's always had a reputation for good service.

In 1951 the Woodman's was taken over by Newcastle Breweries. The tradition of “live�? music carried on into the 1970’s when Mr. Ridley Milton and his wife Ida ran the pub. At that time most of the trade was from regulars who came to hear the resident choir, “The Fellside Lilywhites�?, singing all the old songs. The pub was enlarged combining old and new building material in an attempt to keep the “country flavour�?. It became a place to eat with a very good reputation for quality food.

The pub was enlarged in the sixties when it became a place to eat with a very good reputation for quality food and a good restaurant.
The Brewery then decided to change the pub into a `Funky Kindergarten Kind of Pub', friendly, fast food and standing room only in the bar area. The pub was revamped again a few years ago but has yet to reach the former glory it enjoyed when it had it's wonderful restaurant.

In 2000, a very different establishment from the early days!