Time for a tankard in ‘37

Once, the parish of Northill contained at least a dozen licensed premises. Today only The Crown remains and in the last two years it has been completely refurbished.

Parts of the building date from the 17th century, the first surviving reference to it being in 1740. In 1803 it was described as containing four bedrooms, a dining room, a parlour, a bar, a hall, a kitchen, a cheese room and two cellars.

In 1913 the Lord of the Manor sold the pub to its tenant Martha Marsom for £1,350. A year later she sold it to Bedford brewers Newland & Nash who were bought out by Biggleswade brewers Wells & Winch in 1924. Wells & Winch were taken over by Greene King in 1961.

Ten years before this photo was taken, The Crown was assessed to determine its rateable value. Weekly trade consisted of a barrel of bitter, one and a half barrels of mild, six dozen bottles of beer, two gallons of spirits, and ‘a little trade in teas’. The landlord occasionally let two rooms and total weekly takings were estimated at £30.

The valuer noted that there was “personality here” which is certainly borne out by the photograph.

With thanks to the Bedfordshire and Luton Archives & Records Service.