Crown Public House

Crown Public House 1960s [X758/1/28/34]

Crown Public House: 2 Ickwell Road, Northill

The first mention of this long established public house| in any document in Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service comes in 1740 when some adjoining land was purchased by Hutchinson's Charity of Thorncote Green. The Crown belonged to the Robinson family, Lords of the Manor and was part of the estate conveyed to trustees in the marriage settlement of John Robinson in 1767. Robinson sold the place, along with the Manor and all its other appurtenances to John Harvey in 1803 and the inn remained in the family for 110 years until in 1913 John Edmund Audley Harvey sold it to the licensee Martha Marsom for £1,350; her family had an on-and-off relationship with the Crown for nearly a century. Just a year later Martha sold the Crown to Bedford brewers Newland & Nash. This firm was bought out by Biggleswade brewers Wells & Winch in 1924, itself taken over by Suffolk brewers Greene King in 1961.

workmen in the Crown yard c.1895 [P10/28/14]

 

interior of Crown in 1938 [X758/1/12/31]

In 1927 Northill, in common with the rest of the county, was valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925. Every building and piece of land was valued for rates; the valuer visiting the Crown [DV1/C/44] recorded a parlour, bar, tap room, club room, kitchen and scullery downstairs and 6 bedrooms with a bath & WC combined upstairs; outside were an earth closet, urinal and store room. He noted: "Near Church – does a little trade in teas". Trade consisted of 1 barrel of bitter and 1½ barrels of mild per week; 6 dozen bottles of beer per week and 2 gallons spirits per week. Total weekly takings were estimated at £30 a week. The landlord occasionally let two rooms. In conclusion the valuer noted: "Personality here".

 
Crown Jul 2007

References

- P10/25/14: abutting land purchased by Hutchinson's Charity in Thorncote Green: 1740;
- BS15: marriage settlement of John and Elizabeth Robinson of Manor of Northill including Crown: 1767;
- HY69-70: Crown conveyed, with Manor of Northill and other property, as part of a common recovery to assure title: 1802;
- HY74-75: sale particulars of Northill Manor estate: 1802;
- HY85-86: conveyed, with Manor of Northill and other property from William Clive, Richard Aldworth Griffin and Lord Braybrooke to John Harvey: 1803
- CLP13: register of alehouse licenses: 1822-1828;
- HY872/1-2: bills from Crown Inn: 1837;
- X870/1/15: trustees meeting of Princess Royal Lodge Friendly Society held at Crown: 1862;
- HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
- HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
- HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
- HF5/30: inventory of property of Elizabeth Marsom: 1879;
- Beds Mercury: fire at Crown Inn: 28 Jan 1882;
- HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
- X171/367: typed transcription of inventory and valuations (David Fuller deceased to Frederick Marsom 1885 and Frederick Marsom deceased 1888): 1885, 1888;
- HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900
- P10/28/14: group photograph in courtyard identified as Crown: c.1895;
- X758/1/12/31-36: various photographs including the bar interior in 1937 and of retiring publican Jack Marsom: c.1900-1973;
- HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
- PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
- GK141/1: contract of sale from John Edmund Audley Harvey of London to Martha Marsom, tenant of Crown, with 3a 1r 28p, for £1,350: 1913
- GK141/2: conveyance from John Edmund Audley Harvey to Martha Marsom: 1913;
- GK141/3: conveyance from Martha Marsom, widow, to Newland & Nash Limited for £1,350: 1914;
- DV1/C/44: 1925 Rating Valuation Act survey: 1927;
- GK297/2: conveyed, with other properties, from Newland & Nash to Wells & Winch: 1938;
- Z924/page 8: photograph of men drinking outside Crown: 1947;
- PSBW8/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1956-1972;
- X758/1/12/44: poor copies of part of an article and photographs about a secret passage: 1959;
- PSBW8/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade and North Bedfordshire Petty Sessional Divisions: 1976-1980; 

List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:

1767: Thomas Humphreys;
1822: Prudence Grigg
1828: John Gillions
1869: Mrs Charles Marsom (& farmer);
1872-1878: Elizabeth Marsom;
1878-1885: David Fuller;
1885-1888: Frederick Marsom;
1900-1914: Martha Marsom;
1914-1927: John Samuel Marsom;
1931 - 1940: Mrs Nellie Ada Marsom;
1957-1960: John Marsom;
1960-1962: Eric Roy Noble;
1962-1977: Robert Kenneth Williams;
1977-1980: Roy Leslie Sayles;
1980-1995: Anthony Ernest Dawson