The Cock Inn Elstow

The Cock Inn: Spitle Street, Elstow

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service has just one document referring to this establishment, a deed to lead to the uses of a fine in which Henry Latham of Bedford and Ann, his wife and George Crumpe of Elstow and Mary, his wife sold the inn to Robert Thomas of Renhold. The inn was described as on the east side of Spitle Street and was sold together with one acre in the open fields and two messuages next to Pinfold Green [AD672].

The reference to Spitle Street is interesting. Spitle is usually a contraction for hospital. The nearest known hospitals at that date would have been those of Saint Leonard or Saint John, both in Bedford. Saint John's Hospital owned land in Elstow and it is likely this that is referred to.

The reference to two properties next to Pinfold Green is also interesting. A pinfold was another name for a pound, a place where straying cattle were impounded by officials of the manor. We know that at the beginning of the 19th century the pound was next to the turnpike road, in other words, the modern A6.

References:

• AD672: deed to the uses of a fine: 1665