Royal Oak Public House
the Royal Oak around 1900, the sign in the distance is that for the Sun [Z50/135/66]
Royal Oak Public House (previously Red Cow): 38-40 London Road, Woburn
The Royal Oak was previously known as the Red Cow. It is a Grade II Listed building and the Department of Environment date it to the 17th century with later reworkings. The first mention of it in a document held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service is 1774. At that time the public house| was a copyhold| property, that is held from the Manor of Woburn Abbotts, rather than freehold. on 27 October Henry Land was admitted tenant. He was the son of Ann (née Shefford), late wife of Rev.Henry Land of Tiverton [Devon], who had been the previous tenant. Land sold the pub to Woburn solicitor Richard Ambrose Reddall in 1796 and he held it until his death, when his wife Ann succeeded. She leased the place to George Higgins, the Bedford brewer, in 1862. By 1868 the Red Cow had changed its name to the Royal Oak and passed to Henry and Charlotte Land on the death of Ann Reddall - the entry reads "messuage formerly called the Red Cow, now called the Royal Oak…a cottage, then lately divided into two tenements in occupation of George Kemp in Cock End; a small piece of ground at the rear of the premises firstly described [i.e. Royal Oak] with barn converted into a brewhouse now or lately in occupation of Edward Harnell".
Charlotte Land died in 1870 and her half of the property went to John Land. Henry died in 1873 and his half of the property was devised to his nephew William John Land. William Henry died in 1875 and was succeeded by his executors. John Land died in 1879 and was succeeded by Jane Wickett who sold her half to William Henry Land's executors who enfranchised (i.e. converted it from copyhold to freehold) in 1888. The public house was then sold to Higgins & Sons in 1893 who were taken over by Wells & Winch in 1931 who merged with Greene King in 1961, adopting the Greene King name in 1963.
In 1927 the public house was valued for rates under the 1925 Valuation Act. Its rent was £42/18/10 per annum, comparatively high compared to other pubs in the district, though rent included a small field which accounted for £10 of the total. It was, the valuer noted an "Old fashioned place. Small bars. Long narrow house". It consisted of a small bar with two pulls, bar parlour, small taproom, kitchen and scullery downstairs with two cellars beneath and four bedrooms upstairs. Outside were a large barn with loft over, a woodshed and two closets. Trade consisted of six dozen half pint and six dozen pint bottles and two barrels of beer and up to one gallon of spirits per fortnight. Gas was supplied throughout the ground floor and mains water was laid on.
The aftermath of the January 2006 fire
The Royal Oak has suffered two fires in its thatched roof in recent years, one in March 1985 and the other, more seriously in January 2006 [see photograph taken in February 2006]. The Royal Oak remains [2006] a Greene King public house.
After restoration - February 2007
List of Sources Held at Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service:
- GA296: admission of Henry Land for twelve years: 27 Oct 1774;
- GA297: admission of Henry Land for twelve years: 28 Nov 1796;
- GA298: admission of Richard Ambrose Reddall for 21 years: 28 Nov 1796;
- R6/29/2/6: exchange of gardens and property adjoining Royal Oak from Duke of Bedford to Richard Ambrose Reddall: 7 Nov 1799;
- P118/28/2: parochial assessment book: 1802-1833;
- R1/78: Thomas Evans' map accompanying R2/691821;
- R2/69: Detailed survey of Woburn made by Thomas Evans for the Duke of Bedford: 1822;
- GA299 and 301: admission of Richard Ambrose Reddall and Ann Reddall under his will for 21 years: 24 Oct 1817;
- GA300: admission of Richard Ambrose Reddall for 21 years: 2 Apr 1839;
- GK89/10: Ann Reddall admitted to premises by will of her husband Richard Ambrose Reddall: 2 Apr 1839;
- R6/29/2/8: devised in will of Richard Ambrose Reddall to Henry and Charlotte Land: 6 Jul 1841 (proved 31 May 1842);
- GA305: lease from Ann Reddall to George Higgins: 14 Nov 1862;
- GK90/1-11: deeds: 1864-1893;
- GA307: license to Henry Land and Charlotte Land to demise: 24 Mar 1868;
- GA309: lease from John Land to George Higgins: 23 May 1868;
- GA310: lease from Henry Land and Charlotte Land to George Higgins: 23 May 1868;
- GA312: lease from John Land to George Higgins: 10 Oct 1872;
- GA313-314: lease from John Land to George Higgins: 10 Oct 1872;
- Z50/135/66: photograph: late C19/early C20;
- GK4/4: part of agreement to raise shares in Higgins & Sons Limited: 27 Jan 1902;
- GK4/6: included in schedule of deeds of Higgins & Sons Limited: 1927;
- GK4/7: agreement for lease of water and sewerage rights: 1927;
- GK297/1: conveyed, with other properties, from Higgins & Sons Limited to Wells & Winch Limited: 1931;
- BTNegOB50/5: negative: 1931;
- Z818/86: photograph: c.1930s;
- WW2/AR/C/2/279: civil defence training in club room: 14 May 1952;
- WW2/AR/C/2/295: civil defence tenancy: of club room: 12 Apr 1956;
- Z1105/1: Liquor Licence Traders Survey Form: 1963;
- PY/PH79/1: photograph: 1979;
- FSD/PC31: fire at premises: 1985;
- PCWoburn30/10: transfer of license: 1991;
- PCWoburn30/27: transfer of license: 1995;
- PCWoburn30/29: transfer of licensee
List of Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:
1802-1825: Edward Hammell [Hannell];
1828: John Freeman;
1839-1842: Thomas Judge;
1847-1854: William Bell (also cattle dealer and horse hire);
1861-1883: Joseph Barnwell;
1883-1884: Henry Sinfield;
1884-1889: David Giltrow;
1889-1893: George Fryatt;
1893-1901 John Bowles;
1901-1906: Ann Bowles;
1906-1915: Samuel Berry;
1915-1921: Arthur James Pettit;
1921-1922: Robert Edward Mackenzie Heanley;
1922-1924: Edward Fripp;
1924-1932: Walter Charles Scoot;
1932-1936: Mrs.Martha Jane Scoot;
1936-1938: Percy Charles Cunningham;
1938-1939: Charles Henry Cunningham;
1939-1947: Harold William White;
1947-1951: Percy William Walton;
1951-1953: Peter Rowe;
1991: David Walter Ekin;
1991-1992: Howard John Thomas;
1992-1995: Christopher Roy Spooner and Janet Spooner;
1995-1996: James Robert Rudgley and Nigel Charles White;
1996: Bryan James Adlam