The Bells of Peover pub, located in the small village of Lower Peover in Cheshire, holds a significant piece of history inside its walls. The pub served as the place where the US finalised their plans for D-Day during World War II. General George S. Patton commanded the US Third Army who arrived in Lower Peover in January 1944 with his troops and had made nearby Peover Hall his headquarters. Across two consecutive days, Patton and future US President Dwight D. Eisenhower ate together and set the plans for the Normandy landings.
The framed diary of an unknown serviceman is proudly displayed in the pub’s dining room. The diary, discovered in a dusty upstairs room of the pub, details the 5th and 6th of June with the entry for 5th June reading “D-Day tomorrow. Everybody quite excited. We land at Arromanches, clear three villages and Bayeux.” Next to the diary hangs a map of Normandy’s beaches, carved into sectors on which the British, Commonwealth, and American troops would land.
As fascinating as these items are, it is the room in which they are located that holds the greatest significance. The pub was pivotal in the plans for the Normandy landings. The Whipping Stocks pub located near Peover Hall, still preserves the tank tracks that can be seen on the ground between the two pubs as a tribute to General Patton and his troops.
In addition to military history, there are personal reminders of the time as well. General Patton, a committed Christian, regularly worshipped at St Lawrence church in the grounds of Peover Hall and presented the church with a US flag, which still hangs from its walls. Gen Patton was nearly sidelined over a speech he made in Knutsford in which he declared that it was “the destiny of the United States and Britain to rule the world.” Despite this, the general’s popularity has continued to present day. The pub’s dining room named The Patton regularly hosts American tourists.
Overall, the Lower Peover village made significant contributions to the World War II effort. The Bells of Peover pub and Whipping Stocks pub justified their places in history. And the locals who served in the conflict are still remembered and paid tribute to in a small exhibition held in a nearby church
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