The New Inn, Campton

New Inn about 1900 [Z1306/101]

New Inn Public House: 97 Ampthill Road, Shefford

The site of this building is now in Shefford but until 1933 was part of the parish of Campton. The earliest reference to this premises is in a licensing register of 1872 which refers back to 1869 [GK1/36] when its owners Wells and Company were put up for sale. They were bought by Kent businessman George Winch for his son [Z1029/34/2a] the business becoming Wells and Winch Limited. At this time the New Inn is described as: "New Inn, Shefford with yard, garden, stables and outbuildings near Pinfold Holes, Campton in occupation of Frederick Billington; also land of 4 acres 0 roods 38 perches on the north side of road from Clophill to Shefford in occupation of Frederick Billington; also a messuage on the opposite side of road to the New Inn with yard, garden, washhouse and outbuildings bounded east by property of Mrs.Crawley, west by last mentioned piece of land, south by the road from Shefford to Clophill and in occupation of J. West".

 
New Inn about 1920 [Z50/101/4]

In 1927 the town of Shefford was valued under the terms of the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting the New Inn [DV1/C175/117] noted that the tenant was J.W.Pike "been here 12 months". He considered the public house "old but rather attractive. Bk outside. very low pitched bars." It comprised a living room ["vry vry poor"] which was private, a private cellar, a tap room ["large but low"] and a bar parlour ["small"]; upstairs were five bedrooms. Outside were a wood and slate open shed of two bays and a barn and attached stable. Weekly trade was good - 2½ barrels and four dozen bottles of beer. They also sold 23 gallons of spirits per year. Takings averaged £20 per week. Mystified, the valuer wrote: "for some reason this house does a good trade. No personality I say".

This public house continued in business until 1987 when it closed because the building was considered to be in a dangerous state. It was subsequently demolished and a private house built on the site.

 
Site of the New Inn January 2008

Sources:

• HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
• HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
• HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
• HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
• HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900;
• GK/1/36: sale catalogue of Wells and Company: 1898
• Z1039/34/2a: copy conveyance of properties from Wells and Company to Wells and Winch Limited: 1899;
• HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
• PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
• Z50/101/4: photograph of Campton Turn, Shefford with The New Inn: c.1920;
• DV1/C175/117: valuation: 1927
• PSBW8/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1956-1972;
• PSBW8/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade and North Bedfordshire Petty Sessional Divisions: 1976-1980.

List of Licensees:

Note that this is not a complete list; entries in italics refer to licensees where either beginning or end, or both, dates are not known:
1869-1876: Frederick Stanbridge;
1876-1879: Joseph King;
1879-1880: Jemima King;
1880-1884: Samuel Thompson;
1884-1896: George Jordan;
1896-1902: Frederick Billington;
1902-1903: John Baxter;
1904: Alfred Frank Martin;
1904-1906: George Ball;
1906-1908: Samuel Biddle;
1908-1909: Arthur Edward Peters;
1909-1913: Frank Harris;
1913: Ernest William Haywood;
1914: Alfred George Massey;
1924: Charles Coles;
1936: James William Pike;
1940-1958: Robert William Pacey;
1958-1965: Ivy Ursula Victoria Pacey;
1965-1966: Frederick George Coward;
1966-1971: Leonard Sidney Newman;
1971-1979: Francis James Carter;
1979-1981: Joan Horne;
1981-1983: Kenneth James Vintner;
1983-1987: Andrew Charles Banham
Public house closed May 1987