Licensed Premises in General

General

The earliest reference to an establishment selling alcohol in Bromham is in 1272 when a gang of ruffians from a tavern kept by Robert Malyn went out and killed the vicar - see Introduction. The only other early reference which cannot be attributed to a known licensed premises in the parish registers noting the burial of William Justice, aleman, on 26 Jan 1792.

Vine Inn

The only known references to this inn are a stray reference as an abuttal in a deed on 1580 and two wills. Interestingly at least two men called William Staines seem to have been publicans at the inn and a third, albeit, three generations later was noted as owning land on the site of the Swan about 1810. As the last known reference to the Vine is 1732 and the first known reference to the Swan is 1798 it is just possible that the Vine was an earlier name for the Swan, but this is highly speculative.

References of Documents held by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service

- WW379: Tenement called the Vine noted as an abuttal in a deed: 1580;
- WW24 & 25: Inn called the Vine in the occupation of William Staines conveyed as part of the Manor of Bromham: 1708-9;
- ABP/W/1712/39: Will of William Staines of Bromham, yeoman;
- ABP/W/1732/17: Will of William Staines of Bedford, Innholder

Licencees: note that this is not a complete list and that dates in italics are not necessarily beginning or end dates, merely the first/last date which can be confirmed from sources such as directories and deeds: 

1708-1712: William Staines;
1732: William Staines