Chapter I: Preface

“Why do your guide books tell us about nothing but Churches and Manor Houses?” Such was the not altogether unjustifiable complaint of an American friend whose motor car was undergoing repairs. He was stranded in a sleepy old market town of winding streets, overhanging structures and oddly set gables, where every stone and carved beam seemed only waiting an interpreter to unfold its story.

In the following pages we have attempted a classification and description of the inns, which not only sheltered our forefathers when on their journeys, but served as their usual places for meeting and recreation. The subject is by no means exhausted. All over England there are hundreds of other old inns quite as interesting as those which find mention, and it is hoped that our work may prove for many tourists the introduction to a most fascinating study.

Thoughtful men, including earnest Churchmen such as the Bishop of Birmingham and the Rev. H. R. Gamble, are asking the question whether the old inns should be allowed to disappear. The public house as a national institution has still its purposes to fulfil, and a few suggestions have therefore been included with a view of showing how it might easily be adapted to modern social needs.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. MANORIAL INNS 1

II. MONASTIC INNS 14

III. THE HOSPICES 29

IV. THE RISE OF THE TOWNS 41

V. THE CRAFT GUILDS AND TRADERS’ INNS 56

VI. CHURCH INNS AND CHURCH ALES 67

VII. COACHING INNS 81

VIII. WAYSIDE INNS AND ALEHOUSES 96

IX. HISTORIC SIGNS AND HISTORIC INNS 112

X. SPORTS AND PASTIMES 135

XI. THE INNS OF LITERATURE AND ART 148

XII. FANCIFUL SIGNS AND CURIOUS SIGNBOARDS 160

XIII. HAUNTED INNS 181

XIV. OLD INNS AND THEIR ARCHITECTURE 195

XV. THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER 209

XVI. THE NEW INN AND ITS POSSIBILITIES 220

XVII. INN FURNITURE 237

XVIII. THE INNKEEPER 256

XIX. PUBLIC HOUSE REFORM 272

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

THE CHEQUERS, LOOSE _Frontispiece_

THE KING’S ARMS, HEMEL HEMPSTEAD x

THE SPREAD EAGLE, MIDHURST 8, 10

THE BULL, SUDBURY 19

PIGEON HOUSE AT THE BULL, LONG MELFORD 21

YARD OF THE WHITE HORSE, DORKING 27

THE WHITE HART, BRENTWOOD 42

THE SWAN, FELSTEAD 51

THE BRICKLAYERS’ ARMS, CAXTON 61

THE GOLDEN FLEECE, SOUTH WEALD 63

PORCH, CHALK CHURCH, KENT _facing_ 67

CHURCH HOUSE, PENSHURST 72

THE PUNCH BOWL, HIGH EASTER 74, 76

YARD OF THE WHITE HART, ST. ALBANS 84

COACH GALLERY AT THE BULL, LONG MELFORD 86

FIREPLACE AT THE WHITE HART, WITHAM 89

OLD COACHING INNS, ST. ALBANS 94

BOTOLPH’S BRIDGE INN, ROMNEY MARSH 95

THE WHITE HORSE, PLESHY 99

THE CHEQUERS, DODDINGTON _facing_ 104

THE CHEQUERS, REDBOURNE 106

THE THREE HORSE SHOES, PAPWORTH EVERARD 108

THE HORSESHOES, LICKFOLD 109

THE RED LION, WINGHAM 113

THE SWAN, SUTTON VALENCE 116

THE KING’S HEAD, ROEHAMPTON 119

THE NELSON, MAIDSTONE 129

THE HORSE AND GROOM, NEAR WALTHAM ST. LAWRENCE 136

THE FALSTAFF, CANTERBURY 149

THE SIR JOHN FALSTAFF, NEWINGTON 152

SIGN OF THE FOX AND HOUNDS, BARLEY 165

SIGN OF BLACK’S HEAD, ASHBOURNE 170

SIGN OF WHITE HART, WITHAM 173

THE ANGEL, THEALE 175

THE CLOTHIERS’ ARMS, STROUD _facing_ 184

THE GREYHOUND INN, STROUD " 190

THE SHIP, WINGHAM 194

THE KING’S HEAD, AYLESBURY 196

TAP-ROOM AT THE BULL, SUDBURY 198

THE KING’S HEAD, LOUGHTON, ESSEX _facing_ 200

FIREPLACE AT THE SUN, FEERING 203

FIREPLACE AT THE NOAH’S ARK, LURGASHALL 207

FOX AND PELICAN INN, HASLEMERE _facing_ 212

THE WHITE HORSE INN, STETCHWORTH, NEWMARKET " 228

THE WOODMAN INN, FARNBOROUGH, KENT " 240

THE WHEATSHEAF INN, LOUGHTON, ESSEX " 248

THE SKITTLES INN, LETCHWORTH, HERTS " 254

RECREATION ROOM IN THE SKITTLES INN, LETCHWORTH, HERTS " 266

THE BELL INN, BELL COMMON, EPPING " 280

SIGN OF THE ANGEL INN, WOOLHAMPTON 285

OLD COUNTRY INNS