​PUBLIC HOUSE NAMES AND SITES IN OUNDLE

Compiled by Robin Rowe in 2022

NB. All are licenced premises; no distinction made between types.

​AKA: = pub names also found on same site – listed in order of use.

ABBREVIATIONS
JI: Jim Irving, JC: John Clifton, AH: Arthur Howitt. Brew: Own brewhouse on premises. A Brew: Anchor Brewery. S Brew: Smith’s Brewery. U Brew: Union Brewing Company. Brew H&S: Hole & Son Brewers (Newark-on-Trent), SHILL: Shillibeer drawing/print. OS: Oundle School. LS: Laxton School.

NB. The Austell Survey: (1565), was a survey of Oundle Manor giving details of Oundle tenements and field system, termed ‘field book’ in Hall's The Open Fields of Northamptonshire  (1995); original in NRO (Ref.ML116). Austell Survey: (1665) survey of Oundle Manor, was a transcript of above with current owners/tenants names added, Original in NRO & OM [NRO = Northamptonshire Record Office; OM = Oundle Museum]

NAME	LOCATION	DATES	BRIEF NOTES
Admiral Keppell	27 Benefield Rd. ‘Situate near the Toll-Bar Benefield Road’.	JC recorded doing work there so it is likely that it was a Pub soon after Keppell’s acquittal. Public house between 1830s-1840s. Auction sale at closure 1841 AH , local saddler, recorded c1970 his memories of this public house when he was a young man.	Celebrates Augustus, Viscount Keppell (1725-1786), popular naval hero’s acquittal after court martial during American War of independence (1775-1783). In 1779, JC recorded Oundle Towns celebrations of the event. Cf. sale date and location of Square & Compass. Were they one and the same? Let at one time to the U Brew: 1885 OS 6 1/2 “ OS Map of Oundle & District shows site with garden, Cherry-holt and fruit tree areas.
Anchor (1)	Tate Row, South Rd. Close to Anchor Brewery,	Most likely closed when A Brew was being constructed & Anchor (2) opened.	Owned by A Brew
Anchor (2)	21 St. Osyth’s Lane	1847-1956	Owned by A Brew. Quite extensive yards and buildings on East Road side. Sick and Dividing Club (friendly society).
Angel (1)	14 North St.	Kings Head from 1772-1766, then Angel (1) to closure in 1796.	AKA: King’s Head 2), Angel (1). Coaching Inn, gallery to rear of building, access via Duck’s Lane. Travelling Theatrical companies performed here, JC.
Angel (2)	4 St. Osyth’s Lane	Licensee dates from 1847-1995. Closed as pub in early C21.	Owners: Brew H&S followed by S Brew. Initially a beer-house, with small off-licensed grocery store.
Beehive	5A West Street		AKA: Beehive, Vine. See Vine details for further info.
Bell Formerly known as Le Blewe Bell or Blue Bell	North St. On site adjoining The Maidenhead and Berrystead House	Licensees recorded from 169-1740	See The George (1); must have been very close to it. See also The Maidenhead (1)
Ben Johnson’s Head	St. Osyth’s lane area around or just behind the Oundle Pharmacy. JI		See also Nags Head (1) and Maidenhead (2): either same premises or same area.
Black Horse	52, Benefield Road. Now site of Black Horse Court.	Licensees recorded from 1860-1998.	Post Enclosure pub. Quite extensive yards and buildings on East Road side. Sick and Dividing Club (friendly society).
Black Pots	55, North St.	No licensee records for 1776-1780.	AKA: Black Pots, Horse & Jockey, Half Moon (2). For further dates see Horse & Jockey.
British Queen	22, Market St. (Place)	Licenced1850-1858.	Described as a beer house. Now Trendall’s Butcher shop.
Bull, Le or Bull (1)	96, West St.	A ‘Bull’ Inn is mentioned in the Austell Survey, 1565	AKA: Bull, Hind, Waggon & Horses.
Bull, Le or Bull (2)	4 North St. Site now, Greedy Piglet.	A ‘Bull’ Inn is mentioned in the Austell Survey, 1565 Closed prior to 1785
Carpenters Arms	89, West Street – still in situ with ‘Carpenters Arms’ above door.	Licensee records from 1846-1908 Closed c1909
Cross Keys	89, West Street	Licensee records from 1790-1925. John Vincent Eayrs (1853-1913) was both publican & veterinary surgeon	S Brew, on 1843 list (Yard, Barns, Close and Spinny). The Cross Keys paddock let to the Oundle School for £10 in 1853 for use as a cricket pitch. Now used as Oundle Town CC ground. Cross Keys of St. Peter might indicate that land belonged to Peterborough Abbey. Land used at Sheep Fairs.
Crown (1)	1 North Street. Adjoining the east end of the Oundle Gild House (Laxton School – now Laxton House). Area once known as Market Hill.,../	Austell Survey 1565. Was it called the Crown then? No dates for period when Crown (2) operated. See Three Tuns for main dates.	AKA: Crown (1), Horseshoe, Half Moon (1), Three Tuns.
Crown (2)	New Street. North of Talbot. And next to The Mermaid. Demolished; site now part of OS’s School House studies.	Called Crown in 1682, 1685, 1689, and 1690.	AKA: Crown (2), Turks Head.
Crown (3)	20, Market Place. Closed 1925. now site of Crown Court on S side of Market Place.	Licensee records from 1773-1925. purchased in 1775 by John Smith, (founder of S Brew) and renamed The Crown. Closed 1925.	AKA: Three Lasts, Crown (3) S Brew, on 1843 list. Travelling Theatre companies performed here, JC. Carrier service to London and local venues, Kelly’s Directory 1920.
Dolphin	8, North Street, Now Old Dryden.	Changed hands in 1696. Licensee dates from 1751-1867 when bought by OS.	Often referred to as a Coaching Inn, but few references to this. Designated a Commercial Hotel in early 1860s. Own Brew . Held Assemblies on Oundle Race Meetings. Annual Town Ball and many other social engagements. Stabling for 30 horses, coach houses, loose boxes etc. Covered bowling alley, 2 pumps and wells.
Drumming Well	Possibly in West St. near Drummingwell Lane; ( JI)	Only ref: Wedding party held in 1779
Ducks Nest	21 St Osyth’s Lane See Anchor (2) above.		Might have been a private house or previous public house of that name when Anchor (2) was purchased by A Brew – and continued as a nick-name
Falcon	Benefield Road (close to Stoke Hill – just around corner on S. side of Benefield Road).	Licensee dates from 1674 – 1829. Changed name to Rose & Crown c1761.	AKA: Falcon, Rose & Crown (1)
Flower de Luce	Probable site – S. side of Market Place opposite corner between New St. and Market Place.	Mentioned in 1790	All information from researches by Alice Thomas, indicating dwellings/shops which were next door to it.
George (1)	North Street (Laundimer House site)	Pre-1698, when William Clark inherited the premises as ‘the Red Horse’. Licensee dates from 1698-c1860.	AKA: Red Horse, George (1) Numerous mentions of change of tenure or similar information, but some confusion about when it was called the George or Red Horse.
George (2)	Glapthorn Road	If built and named after George III, date would be 1760 i.e. Pre-Enclosure Act (1806). Dates of known Licensees 1847-2022.	Head of George III on sign until 1988 – now replaced by George & the Dragon. Name also on a board above door. Shown on plan of ‘The House and Rectory Farm’, 1860.
Green man	74 West St.	Licensees recorded 1778 – 1925. Closed (later cycle shop)	S Brew, on 1843 list. JC Lived next door. Brew.
Globe & Talbot	7 New St.	Alternative name for Talbot found in newspaper cuttings c1750, but no details of any official change of name.	AKA: Tabret, Talbot, Globe & Talbot (short spell in mid C18),Talbot. Premier Hotel of Oundle. Many uses. A Coaching Inn. Assemblies and Ordinaries during Oundle Race Meetings, 1750s.
Half Moon (1)	1 North Street. Adjoining the east end of the Oundle Gild House (Laxton School – now Laxton House). Area once known as Market Hill.	For dates see Three Tuns.	AKA: Crown (1) Horseshoe, Half Moon (1), Three Tuns.
Half Moon (2)	55 North Street	Licenced dates 1776-1965. Horse & Jockey by 1781, Half Moon in 1790. Presume Black Potts initially – no dates.	AKA: Black Pots, Horse & Jockey, Half Moon. S Brew, on 1843 list. Mentioned by JC
Hand and Slipper	? North Street – “Possibly close to Half Moon (2)”, JI.	1778 – only reference found to date.	Aug 15th 1778, JC writes, ‘Stephen Stevenson at The Hand & Slipper buried tonight by the side of Cross’s tomb’.
Harts Head	New Street, site now OS Cloisters.	Referred to as Hartes Headde (Harts Head) in Austell Survey of 1565. In 1716 known as the White Hart.	AKA: Harts Head, White Hart. For further details see The White Hart.
Hind	96 North St.	For dates see Waggon & Horses.	AKA: Bull, Hind, Waggon & Horses. S Brew, on 1843 list. Droving Inn for cattle and sheep. Land also used at Sheep Fairs, especially those held at Chapel End; supplied hurdles for same.
Horse & Jockey	55 North Street	Known as The Horseshoe in 1748. See Half Moon (2).	AKA: Black Pots, Horse & Jockey, Half Moon (2).
Horseshoe	1 North Street. Adjoining the east end of the Oundle Gild House (Laxton School – now Laxton House). Area once known as Market Hill.	For dates see Three Tuns. JC mentions Horseshoe 1756, when W Buzzard surrendered to his son, also in, 1773,1778, 1781.	AKA: Crown (1), Horseshoe, Half Moon (1), Three Tuns. JC worked on the roof of its Brew, in 1768.
Kings Arms	86 West Street. Later Geoff Stubbs model-shop. Now next door to New Yang Tze River Chinese takeaway.	Licensee reports from 1871 until closure in 1920.
Kings Head (1)	Church Lane, north side, on corner with New Street (Then called Bury Streete)	Austell Survey 1565.	Misleading because according to Smalley-Law (Oundle’s Story) the Lord’s agent says “it appeth [sic] that this tenement called the hart’s head hath not paid of any long time of the free rent but 4s . . . etc.”
Kings Head (2)	14 North St.	Licensee records from 1702-1796. King’s Head from 1766.	AKA: Angel (1), King’s Head (2). See Angel (1) for further details.
Lamb	37 St. Osyth’s lane (now Co-op Stores) – adjacent to The Anchor (2)	Dates unknown. ‘Cook Afford, an employee of S Brew, spoke of drinking in this house,’ JI.	Numerous picture postcards, drawings, paintings, and Shillibeer’s work illustrate this house and show the carved stone lion placed beneath the gabled dormer. The carving was reputed to have come from a Coat of Arms supporter, displayed in Fotheringhay Castle and has since been placed in Fotheringhay church.
Lion Le Lyon (C16)	Not known – perhaps where White Lion building is today.		Mentioned in document dated, 1564 as gossip about radical religious views in London.
Maidenhead (1) Le Maidenhead	20 North St. Originally mentioned as North End. Between Laundimer and Berrystead.	Only dates recorded are 1690 and later closed in 1699.	Property later became Mowbray’s shop and latter part of C19, HQ of Old Oundelians Society.
Maidenhead (2)	St. Osyth’s Lane, Now known as 32, Market Place (Oundle Pharmacy).	Licensee dates recorded from 1699-1827. Called Nags Head (1) from 1750.	AKA: Maidenhead (2), Nags Head (1). SHILL: shown framed between Town Hall and Bramston House on post-Improvement Act drawing looking East.
Masons Arms (1)	34 West Street, or The Old Hind.	Masons Arms from 1827-1841. See Old Hind for further dates.	AKA: Unicorn, Masons Arms (1), Old Hind.
Masons Arms (2)	East Road, on site on right of entrance to Taney Court, (opposite Entry/Exit to Co-op car park.	Licensee records 1870-1894.	Building demolished latter part of C20, when Taney Curt developed.
Mermaid	Now on site of OS’s School House.	No licensee records found.	Shown on photographs pre-OS building, looking North (also showing Talbot, and Turk’s head. Robert Smith of Oundle, a mariner, sold ‘Mermaid’ to Richard Smith in 1748 – JI. Did R. Smith name this himself with his mariner connection?
Nags Head (1)	32 Market Place (Oundle Pharmacy)		AKA: Maidenhead (2), Nags Head (1).
Nags Head (2)	17, (19-21) West Street, west of Turner’s Yard.	‘Thought to be created c1828’ JI. Closed 1965	S Brew, on 1843 list. A cook, George Afford refused to let his wife in the house, 1891’ Reputed to have been popular with American servicemen stationed at Polebrook WWII. At one time both pub and butcher’s shop.
Old Hind	34 West Street, or The Old Hind.	Licensee dates from 1842 – to closure in 1925.	AKA: Unicorn, Masons Arms (1), Old Hind. Publicans under each of these names were shopkeepers/tradespersons Property originally a virgate farm. Had a shippen and other houses in yard from which occupants were evicted at one of the property sales.
Old London Waggon	86 West Street	For dates see King’s Arms above.	AKA: Old London Waggon, King’s Arms. Little known about this pub. ‘probably a C19 Lodging House’, JI.
Plough	71, West Street.	Licensee dates 1861-1874.	Purchased by OS 1874 for inclusion in (1 st) Laxton House which was the adjoining ‘Cottesmore’ purchased by OS in 1869.
Railway Hotel	Opposite railway station. Technically in Ashton.	Built/opened 1846. Licensee records 1846-1986. Becoming ‘The Riverside’ when railway closed in 1960s.	AKA: Railway, Riverside. Probably designed by W. Livock, architect of Station. Built as inn for travellers using station. Frequented by Anglers fishing on Nene.
Red Horse	North Street (Laundimer House site)	Pre-1698, when William Clark inherited the premises as ‘the Red Horse’. Licensee dates from 1698 – c1860.	AKA: Red Horse, George (1) . Numerous mentions of change of tenure or similar information and some confusion about whether it was called the George or Red Horse.
Red Lion	New Street. Now OS Great Hall site.	Licensee dates 1764-1875. Sold to Grocers Company ((OS) 1907. Demolished between 1907-1909.	Coaching Inn. Extensive yards, stables etc. reaching to Milton Road.
Red Man & Leather Bottle	Site unknown	Known dates, 1734, and 1748.	Advertised (1734) as a place for venison to be collected for transport to London. Entry in, JP Phillip Ward’s, justicing notebook (1748) in a case concerning illegal gambling on the inn premises.
Riverside	Opposite railway station site.	See Railway Inn above. Operated under name from 1960s to1986.	AKA: Railway, Riverside. Currently derelict.
Rose & Crown (1)	Benefield Road (close to Stoke Hill – just around corner on S. side of Benefield Road.)	Licensee dates from 1674- 1829. Changed name to Rose & Crown c1761.	AKA: Falcon, Rose & Grapes. Rose & Crown (1) Deeds show it was called The Rose and Grapes in 1755, but Rose and Crown by 1799.
Rose & Crown (2)	11, Market Place	Bult and licenced c1825. Still Open.	S Brew, on 1843 list. Built at time of Town Improvement Plan, when new Market Town/Hall replaced old shambles. SHILL. Poet, John Clare billeted here for short time when training in the Northamptonshire Militia, 1812.
Rose & Grapes	Benefield Road (close to Stoke Hill – just around corner on S. side of Benefield Road).	See Rose & Crown (1) above.	AKA: Falcon, Rose & Grapes. Rose & Crown (1)
Royal Oak	Somewhere in St. Osyth’s (St. Osyth’s Lane).	Only one reference.	‘Before 1796 William Southwell occupied a cottage in St. Osyth’s Lane called the Royal Oak. Then converted it into a barn’. JI. Therefore, if named after the oak tree reputedly used by Charles II on his escape from Worcester in 1651, it must have dated from sometime after the Restoration in 1660.
Ship	18, West Street	Licensee records from 1779-1908, when sold and closed. Reopened as pub in 1973. Still open .	S Brew, on 1843 list. Old Inn, change of use as a café and guest house c1909 and reopened as pub in 1973. Some suggest that when found inland, name may have originally been associated with the processional religious Ark – later being thought of as Noah’s Ark! Perhaps a Peterborough Abbey connection. Extensive outbuildings – paint shop, Stable, sawpit, smithy, wheelwrights’ shop, shoeing shed and coach house’ Ghost story attached to pub!
Square & Compass	‘situate near the Toll Bar on the Turnpike Road leading to Bene field’, Closure sale auction notice. See also location of Admiral Keppell.	Only known reference closure auction 1833.	Auction on closure in 1833, held at The Ship.
Swan or Le Swan	1 Market Place. Corner of Market Place & New Street. Main entrance on Market Place.	Licensees recorded from 1799 to closure in 1863. Mentioned as Le Swan in 1696, 1699, 1703, and other C18 dates before 1799.	S Brew, on 1843 list. SHILL: Coaching Inn. Post Chaises also available for London. Once site of Moot Hall. C19 Excise Office situated here. The Lord of Manor’s stocks and cage for felons once outside building (west Side). Many and varied town events were held here.
Tabret	7 New Street. Name changed to Talbot in c1626, when bought by William Whitwell.	Very early Origin. Probably soon after Manor granted to Peterborough Abbey. Austell Survey 1565.	AKA: Tabret, Talbot, Globe & Talbot (see above), Talbot’. Likely to have been a hospitium or rest house or hospitium for visiting monks and clerics from the Abbey.
Talbot Hotel	7 New Street.	Licensee records from 1751 to present times.	AKA: Tabret, Talbot, Globe & Talbot (see above), Talbot’. S Brew , and premises on 1843 list. Frontage and much of interior changed using materials from the ruins of Fotheringhay castle. Premier Hotel/Inn of Oundle. Many uses. A Coaching Inn. Post-Horses supplied, JP courts, great number and variety of town meetings. JI archives give an immense amount of information including radical update, which he officially opened in 2012. SHILL. Three Tuns stone logo of Smith’s Brewery now on an outside wall.
Three Horseshoes	73, Benefield Road	Licensees recorded from 1861-1920. Thereafter no records but still licenced until closure in 1930 or 1931.	A BREW . A post-Enclosure Act pub and/or beer-house.
Three Lasts	20, Market Place. Closed 1925. now site of Crown Court on S side of Market Place	Earliest mention 1723.John Bought by John Smith in 1775 and renamed the Crown 1776. Crown (3) for details.	AKA: Three Lasts, Crown (3). A ‘last’ is a commercial measure of weight e.g., wool, malt etc., also a shoemaker’s wooden model for making shoes. John Smith records that in Oct 1775 he bought the Three Lasts and other Tenimants [sic] adjoining to it at two Hundred & forty pound [sic], £240. Renamed crown in 1776. ee Crown (23) for details.
Three Tuns	1 North Street. Adjoining the east end of the Oundle Gild House (Laxton School – now Laxton House). Area once known as Market Hill.	Licensee records from 1748-1882. Horseshoe first date, otherwise unsure when other names used/changed.	AKA: Crown (1), Horseshoe, Half Moon (1), Three Tuns. S Brew, on 1843 list. The derelict pub purchased by OS, 1853. Fine drawing by B. Rudge, Bedford, shows view c1800.
Turks head	New Street. North of Talbot. Next to The Mermaid. Demolished; site now part of OS’s School House studies.	By 1778 called Turks Head. Licensee records from 1725-1910. Bought by OS in 1909. Demolished between 1911 and 1914	AKA: Crown (2), Turks Head. S Brew, on 1843 list. Advertised as a Post-House in 1725. Extensive outbuildings, smithy, stables, yards. SHILL: and numerous photographs when a pub.
Unicorn (1)	34 West Street, or The Old Hind.	Licensee records from 1790-1826. See Masons Arms (1) for further dates.	AKA: Unicorn, Masons Arms (1), Old Hind.
Unicorn (2)	33 West Street. On site of York House, where owners of York’s Bank lived (large building opposite side of road).		Little seems to be known about this alehouse/pub, but JI included it in The Oundle Pub and Brewery Trail (1997).
Victoria	53 West Street.	Licensee records from 1852-1959.	The Oundle Workhouse from 1719-1835; buildings behind used as workshops for inmates; closed when Union Workhouse was established in Glapthorn Road 1836. Owned by Brew H&S followed by S Brew in 1943. Quite extensive yards and buildings on East Road side. Sick and Dividing Club (friendly society).
Vine	5 West Street.	Licensee dates 1828-1965.	AKA: Beehive, Vine. Brew still standing (now a dwelling). Little known of this pub. Pictures indicate a small pub (with vine growing on wall), beside an off-licence and store (Claridges & Co). Later Claridges moved to 81 West Street; what is now Kuchen Kraft.
Waggon & Horses	Corner of West Street and Mill Road (opposite The Jesus Church).	Licensee records from 1842-1976. A ‘Bull’ Inn is mentioned in the Austell Survey, 1565. Named Waggon & Horses 1842. See Bull and Hind above.	AKA: Bull, Hind, Waggon & Horses. S Brew, on 1843 list. Extensive yard, large outbuildings, paddock stretching to South Road, and a cottage. First licensee a Waggoner. He may have continued to run a droving inn for a time after change from The Hind (1842), but no specific records. It might certainly have catered for Fairs, both livestock and later, amusement.
Wharf	Station Road at western end of Station Road, beside what were Smith’s Numbers 4 and 5 Maltings.	Licensee records from 1817-1841.	Extensive Brew facilities. Warehouse., 8-stall stable, 15’ square kiln. No doubt ale from here quenched the thirsts of local maltsters.
White Hart	New Street, site now OS Cloisters.	Hartes Headde in Austell Survey 1565, by 1716 known as White Hart. Licensee records from 1716-1880. Demolished 1880.	AKA: Harts Head, White Hart. Popular inn, used for many local functions. Several criminal activities recorded and JC deplored badger baiting and cock fighting held there. Jinks family worshiped in a RC Chapel on premises c1780. Extensive stables, yards and outbuildings. All of site now covers OS Cloisters. Picture and plan by OS surveyor, Joseph Gwilt, 1839. Also photo of front showing waggon, beer barrels and onlookers. The small, boy is AH.
White Lion	No 12 North Street.	Licensee dates from 1781 until closed in 1968.	S Brew, on 1843 list. Comparable in popularity with White Hart. Often used by JC. Carrier services from here. ‘Commodious’ stabling, yards etc. Old photos show inn name on hanging lamp.
White Swan	Not Known.	Only one mention found, in a Stamford Mercury advertisement (October 1725)	Advert mentions a coach to Old Castle Inn, Smithfield, leaving from White Swan Oundle at 6.00 am. bound for London. This may well be a clerical error .
Wool Pocket	Site on Stoke Hill or Chapel End. Alice Thomas believed that the row of cottages (later rebuilt and became the last Catholic priest’s residence) to have been the site of this alehouse), now occupied by Osteopath practise.	Little is known about this pub. Easter Books in Smith box 1745, mentions Denis Bonner as the Alehouse keeper at the Wool Pocket.	JI notes that a Manor Court of 1741 recorded 3 ½ acres of land attached to these cottages containing, a Malting, Dove House, Outhouses, Yards, Barns, Stables, orchard gardens, land, ground etc,