As to the provenance of the Cock O Barton, old wives tales and local myths abound. It is commonly thought that the pub's name came from its association with a nearby cock fighting location. Although the pub did play some part in this activity, we think the name came from an earlier time.

The area we call 'Barton' was supposedly named after a knight in the 900's who was rewarded for his services with land at the edge of the Carden Estate. Having built a manor house on the land a village developed around it.

During the age of horse drawn transport, Barton became a convenient resting point on the Chester - Shrewsbury-London route. The village prospered thanks to the increased traffic from coaches, farmers and travellers.

The earliest references to an Inn at Barton date from 1603. It is likely that the name of this inn, the 'Cock O Barton', derived from the use of 'cock horses' that were hired out to provide carriages with extra pulling power around the local hills.