The Saracens Head Inn Elstow

The Saracen's Head Inn, Elstow

This inn is known from two mid 16th century references. The first of these is from accounts of the Court of Augmentations, a body set up to deal with the property of religious houses dissolved by King Henry VIII (1509-1547). Elstow Abbey (dissolved 1539) had held the Saracen's Head ("le Sarsons hed") and in 1542, when the account was taken, it was in the occupation of William Curteys. The inn included an adjoining meadow and altogether the rent was forty two shillings. The accounts were published by Bedfordshire Historical Record Society in 1984 and 1985 as Volumes 63 and 64 - Augmentation Accounts I and Augmentation Accounts II.

The other reference to the inn comes in a court roll dating to September 1558 when it was held by Robert Wolmer [SA147 folio 19].

References:

• SA147 folio 19: court roll: 1558.

Licensees: note that this is not a complete list. Italics indicate licensees whose beginning and/or end dates are not known:

1542: William Curteys;
1558: Robert Wolmer.