Cross Keys Inn
This property was researched by John Thurston
18th Century travellers crossing the Old Bedford Bridge over the Ouse would have passed by a small Tavern situated on the west side of the High Street at No.18.The “Cross Keys” Inn, sited almost opposite to its more illustrious rivals, The “George” Inn and “Swan” Hotels was an ancient Tavern whose history can be traced back to the early 17th century with Deeds extant from 1696 [BorBE4/78/2].
It was probably much older. The earliest map we have of Bedford, John Speed’s Town Plan from C1611, shows a cluster of at least four buildings or messuages immediately adjoining the bridge on the west side with the likelihood that the “Cross Keys” was one of them.
Later Maps from 1807 (Vernor Hood and Sharp) and 1811 (Reynolds) show the same cluster of buildings still present.Fortunately we also know exactly where the building was located on the High Street; in 1890 when the statue of John Howard (1726 – 1790), the philanthropist and reformer, was erected, the cellar of the old Tavern was revealed [CRT130BED/233].
The first known Landlord was John Clarke, a former cordwainer and latterly a grocer, who issued trade tokens in the late 1660’s with a Crossed Keys design. The next known information on this inn occurs in 1696 when William Yarington, the owner, leased the property to Francis Walker [BorBE4/78/2]. By 1700 John Church, a victualler was running the establishment for Walker [FAC8/1]. Eventually Walker became the outright owner with the property eventually being bequeathed to his son, also Francis Walker, in his will of 1714 [BorBE4/78/3]. John Church remained the licensee and was either long lived or also had a similarly named son as he is still shown as a victualler at the property in 1767 [BorBE11/23/12].
In 1768 Francis Walker (Jnr) conveyed the messuage to John Hornbuckle, a brazier by lease and release [BorBE4/78/5]. From at least 1777 the new licensee was Thomas Button who, on his death, was succeeded by his widow, Eleanor Button (daughter of the former licensee John Church) [BorBE11/23/16-17]. In John Hornbuckle’s will of 1782 he passed the property on to his son Thomas Hornbuckle [BorBE4/78/6 ].
The property again changed hands in 1793 when (the Rev) Thomas Hornbuckle sold the Inn to Peregrine Nash, a well known brewer in Bedford [BorBE4/78/8]. The licensee remained Eleanor Button who was the publican from approximately 1778 – 1809. Eleanor was then succeeded by John Kent who remained until at least C1820 [GK156/1]. There is some confusion over licensees in 1822/3, with both John Kent and William Combes named in different documents. Certainly by 1828 [GK161/1] John Griffin was the new incumbent and was in charge until at least the early 1830’s. In 1832 the property was bequeathed by George Peregrine (Snr) to his son George Peregrine (Jnr) [BorBE4/78/9 ] and by 1839 a new licensee was in place, John Mayle. The 1841 Census shows he was replaced by Job Litchfield and his family. In 1847, Richard Stennett took charge.
(N.B.The “Cross Keys” was probably a particularly law abiding establishment at the time as a year after Richard left in 1853, he took up the role of Superintendant of Police in Bedford).
Joseph Abbis took over as licensee in 1853 and possibly stays until Thomas Knox and his family are shown on the 1861 Census as being in residence. In 1868 William Nash sold the property to the Borough of Bedford who were in the process of buying up local buildings near to the Bedford Bridge.The Beds Times from 5th January 1869 states that the “Cross Keys” was then demolished.
This isn’t the end of the story however. Peregrine Nash’s Brewery, the owners, took the old sign down and transferred it a year later to the “Robin Hood” Tavern at 69 High Street thus making it the second “Cross Keys” in the High Street. Thomas Knox was also transferred from No 18 to No 69 to become the first licensee of the newly named Pub.
While the full history of No.69 High Street can be found in the appropriate notes previously written elsewhere, regarding the renamed “Cross Keys”, in brief Licensee Thomas Knox was followed by Arthur Bull in 1876, William Bull in 1881 and Thomas Markham Hoe in 1891.In 1901 the site was divided in two, with Emmanuel Lenton, the publican at the “Cross Keys” at No. 69 and Taylor and Brawn, Chemists and J Shipley Slipper, a Dentist occupying No.69A.
In 1910 William Rootham was the new Publican, with Taylor, Brawn and Flood, the new chemists and sole occupants of No.69A.The Site would remain subdivided until 1939, the interim “Cross Keys” publicans being Ernest Ennis Perkins (1914), William Rayner (1920) and Jesse Tyrell (1929).
By 1940 No. 69a was no more having been demolished and Jesse Tyrell was the sole named Occupant at No.69. Two further publicans are known, L.C.Sharman in 1947 and C.A.A. Chatterley from 1949/50 until 1957. After this time just the name, the “Cross Keys” Public House, is listed at the site. In summary the original “Cross Keys” at 18 High Street was in business from at least the late 17th Century up until 1869, “ The “Robin Hood” at 69 High Street from at least 1681 up until 1870 and the second “Cross Keys” at 69 High Street from 1870 up until the present day.
Thus a story of 3 Inns ; One demolished, one renamed and one still present in the High Street.
To elaborate further on the confusing amount of statistics and information given above, a list is now given of Owners, Licensees (Publicans or Victuallers) and Occupiers to help the reader:
1611: John Speed's Map - Messuages Shown
1668: John Clarke, Licensee (?and Owner)
1696: William Yarington & Francis Walker
1700-1767: John Church, Licensee
1714: Francis Walker (Snr, Old Owner), Francis Walker (Jnr, New Owner)
1731: George Floor, Occupier
1768: Francis Walker, Old Owner, and John Hornbuckle, New Owner
1777: Thomas Button, Licensee
1782: John Hornbuckle, Old Owner, and Thomas Hornbuckle, New Owner
1787-1809: Eleanor Button, Licensee
1793: Reverend Thomas Hornbuckle, Old Owner, and Peregrine Nash, New Owner
C.1820: John Kent, Licensee
1822-1823: William Combes, Licensee
1823/4: John Kent, Licensee
1828-1831: John Griffin, Licensee
1832: George Peregrine (Jr, Old Owner) and George Peregrine (Snr, New Owner)
1839-1840: John Mayle, Licensee
1841: Job Litchfield, Licensee
1847-1853: Richard Stennett, Licensee
1854: Joseph Abbis, Licensee
1861-1869: Thomas Knox, Licensee
1868: Thomas Barnard, Thomas Twinning, (Old Owners) William Nash (New Owner)
1869: (First) "Cross Keys" demolished
1869/70: "Robin Hood" renamed (Second) "Cross Keys"
1870-1875: Thomas Knox, Licensee
1876: Arthur Bull, Licensee
1881: William Bull, Licensee
1891: Thomas Markham Roe, Licensee
1901: Emmanuel Lenton, Licensee
1910: William Rootham, Licensee
1914: Ernest Ennis Perkins, Licensee
1920: William Rayner, Licensee
1929-1940: Jesse Tyrell, Licensee
1947: L. C. Sharman, Licensee
1949/50: C. A. A. Chartterly, Licensee
1959-2023: "Cross Keys" name only in Directories, no stated Publicans
There is then some confusion as to what happened at the original site of number 18, but it appears several houses were then erected and in 1871 John Etkins, a chemist, is shown in residence. In 1876, Rous Bartholomew and Co, fishmongers and Poulterer, are the new owners. Staying as a fishmongers, Henry William Brown takes charge around 1885. Brown is also shown at No.16 on other Censuses with Arthur Ransom. Printer of the Beds and Herts Times, also present.
(N.B. Whilst No 18 is believed to have been joined to No 16, and is mentioned in several Trade Directories in the 1890’s showing, as mentioned above, Henry William Brown, operating at different times from both addresses. )
Possible supporting evidence is provided by the picture, shown below, of No.16 which depicts an attached outbuilding which may well be No.18. The next building listed, No 20, is a Bank Building which is on the other side of St Pauls Square).
The photograph is annotated “just prior to demolition in 1895”.
This date may possibly be wrong as in 1890, when the statue of John Howard (1726 – 1790), the philanthropist and reformer, was erected, the cellar of the old Tavern was revealed. While No 18 may have disappeared at some time between 1890 – 1895, No 16 survived for a few more years with Directory entries ending in 1897, the last Fishmonger on the site being Harry Sell.
From 1900 onwards there is no further mention of any buildings on the High Street from No 14 until No.20.
See here for a more detailed list of owners and occupiers of no.18.