Cross Keys Beerhouse

 Cross Keys Beerhouse: 12 Horslow Street, Potton

former Cross Keys in March 2007

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service has no deeds for this beerhouse| making its history difficult to plot. The first mention of it comes in a licensing register of 1872 when owned by James Horne of Potton. Alfred Richardson was owner in 1877 when he mortgaged it, along with other property to William Thomas Chapman, the Biggleswade solicitor. He took out another mortgage with Chapman in 1880 and one with Henry Raynes in 1881 and these mortgages were redeemed in 1894. At some point the public houses were bought by Bedford brewers Newland & Nash, who were bought out by Biggleswade brewers Wells & Winch in 1938. Wells & Winch merged with Suffolk brewers Greene King in 1961.

In 1927 the public house was valued under the 1925 Rating Valuation Act. The valuer found that it contained 3 bedrooms, a tap room, parlour, kitchen and cellar as well as a two stall cart hovel. Trade was two barrels of mild per week, nine gallons of bitter and eight dozen bottles of beer it was: "near housing scheme in town".

The Cross Keys closed some time after 1977 and is now a private house.

References:
- HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
- HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
- X501/12: provisional deed of charge by Alfred Richardson to William Thomas Chapman of property including four Potton public houses: 1877;
- HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
- HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
- HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900;
- X501/15: mortgaged, with other property, by Alfred Richardson to William Thomas Chapman: 1880, redeemed 1894;
- X501/16: mortgaged, with other property, by Alfred Richardson to Henry Raynes: 1881, redeemed 1894;
- HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
- PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
- DV1/C11: rating valuation survey: 1927;
- GK297/2: conveyance of all property from Newland & Nash to Wells & Winch: 1938;
- PSBW8/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1956-1972;
- 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:

1872-1879: John Yerrill;
1879-1882: Fanny Yerrill;
1882-1883: William Hutchinson;
1883-1889: John Payne;
1889-1890: Walter Farlong;
1890: George Page Turney;
1891-1893: Richard John Richardson;
1893-1904: William Gurney;
1904-1912: Frederick Bossingham [convicted on 10 Jul 1912 of selling liquor during prohibited hours - fined £5 plus costs];
1912-1924: John Larkins;
1927-1931: Joseph Richardson;
1936-1940: Ernest C.Westhorp;
1957: Albert John Charter;
1977: E.J.Gill