Black Horse in 1961 [Z50/135/1]

Black Horse Public House: 1 Bedford Street, Woburn

The first reference to this public house |in a document held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service is in a list of dues owed to the Vicar from 1709 to 1796 where Widow Clark is identified as being at the Black Horse in 1743. It is possible that this is when the inn opened; the building is Grade II Listed and considered to be early eighteenth century.

The public house was owned by Morris & Company (Ampthill) Limited fro mat least 1827 until they sold out to J.W.Green Limited of Luton in 1927. Green merged with Flowers Breweries in 1954 and the new company adopted the Flowers name; Flowers were then bought by Whitbread in 1962. Whitbread sold off its brewing business and public houses in 2001. At the time of writing [2006] the Black Horse remains a public house and restaurant.

In 1927 the Black Horse was valued for rates under the 1925 Valuation Act. At that time J.W.Green Limited had just taken over ownership and the rent was £20 per annum. The valuer found that the pub was "old but fairly good front". It consisted of a smoke room ("good"), bar ("fair 3 pulls"), parlour ("small and dark"), kitchen and scullery on the ground floor - with no cellar. Upstairs were two bedrooms on the first floor and three attics on the second. Outside were a stable for nine horses with a loft above, a cow byre, trap house, cart hovel (all described as "old and very little used") and 2WCs. Trade was a barrel and three dozen bottles of beer in a week and half a dozen bottles of spirits in an month.

The Black Horse was given listed building status by Department of Environment in 1961 when it was considered to be an early 18th century building reworking an earlier structure (perhaps a rebuild after the fire of Woburn in 1724?)

Black Horse in February 2006

List of Sources Held at Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service:

- P118/3/1: parochial dues: 1709-1796 [1743-1796];
- 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;
- Z1043/1: inventory of John and Joseph Morris of Ampthill, brewers: Jun 1827;
- X21/629: conveyance of properties from Joseph Morris to devisees under the will of John Morris, deceased: 24 Jun 1828;
- WB/M/4/1/VP1: Mortgage for £30,000 from John Morris to Mary and Catherine Morris of various properties including Black Horse: 28 Dec 1831;
- WB/M/4/1/VP2: Mortgage from John Thomas Green to Susanna, Mary Jane and Sophia Morris of a number of properties including Black Horse: 16 Jun 1882;
- WB/M/4/1/VP8: Abstract of Title of Morris & Company (Ampthill) Limited to various properties including Black Horse: 1900-1926;
- WB/Green4/2/20: list of J.W.Green Limited properties of special historic interest: C20;
- X21/760/1: postcard: 1906;
- CCE5304/1: surrender and admission of Morris & Company (Ampthill) Limited: 1907;
- CCE5304/3: conveyed, with other properties to J.W.Green Limited: 1926;
- WB/M/4/2/1: mentioned on list of properties of Morris & Company (Ampthill) Limited: c.1926;
- WB/M/4/2/2: mentioned on list of properties of Morris & Company (Ampthill) Limited: Jun 1926;
- WB/Green4/2/2: payments by J.W.Green Limited to landlords of various properties for premises, wayleaves etc.: 1927-1953
- WB/Green/6/4/1: J.W.Green Limited trade analysis ledger for various properties: 1936-1947;
- WB/Green4/2/5: list of properties of J.W.Green Limited: c.1936;
- WB/Green4/2/4: Certificate of title of J.W.Green Limited to various properties: 1936-1952;
- WB/Green4/2/9: Schedule of deeds of properties owned by J.W.Green Limited: 1949;
- WB/Green4/2/16: list pf properties owned by J.W.Green Limited: 24 Jul 1952;
- WB/Green4/2/17: Second schedule of trust deed showing properties owned by J.W.Green Limited: 1952;
- Z1105/1: Liquor Licence Traders Survey Form: 1953;
- WB/Green4/2/19: lists of properties owned by J.W.Green Limited: 1954;
- WB/Flow4/5/Woburn/BH1-2: photographs taken for Flowers Breweries Limited: 1960s;
- Z53/135/1: photograph: 1961;
- Hi/PH5: photograph of pavement outside: 1966;
- Z50/135/42: transparency: 1973;
- PCWoburn30/2: transfer of license: 1989;
- PCWoburn30/5: transfer of license: 1989;
- PCWoburn30/22: transfer of license: 1989;
- PCWoburn18/2/2: planning permission, plans and elevations: 1992-1997;
- PCWoburn30/21: transfer of license: 1994;- PCWoburn30/30: transfer of licence: 1996

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

1743: Widow Clark;
1785: William Goodman;
1795: James Parratt;
1808: Ann Parratt, widow;
1820: Thomas Pheasant;
1830: Edward Pheasant;
1847: John Reddall;
1861 (listed as Higb Street): Mrs.Mary Buckett;
1864: (listed as Bedford Street): Mrs.Mary Buckett;
1869: James Button;
1876: Peter Smith;
1878: George Archer;
1881: William Clark;
1890: William Beasley;
1893: Job Stanbridge;
1895: Elizabeth Anne Stanbridge;
1895: Frederick Hall;
1940: Alexander Maude Gilby;
1940: Albert Lionel George;
1949: Richard James Gooch;
1949: Sidney Pratt;
1953: George James Merrick
1965: Vuictor Dunton;
1967: Kenneth Herbert Moores;
1967: Colin Anthony Doyle;
1968: John Francis Allen;
1969: Arthur Victor Hollands;
1975: Ernest Albert Raymond Mole;
1975: Thomas Aldous;
1988: Peter Stewart Mackie and John Campbell;
1989: Peter Stewart Mackie and Edwin Cheeseman;
1994: James Campbell and Edwin Cheeseman;
1994: Stephen John Baker, James Campbell, Marion McNaboe;
1996: James Campbell, Nicholas Owen Lancaster.