The Little Bell Public House Leighton Buzzard

The Litten Tree June 2008 - built on the site of the Little Bell

The Little Bell Public House: 8 Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard

In notes kindly lent to Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Recorrd Service, Maureen Brown describes John Millard surrendering a copyhold cottage in Leck End called the Bell to Collins Millard in 1757. This Bell is described as being immediately east of the Unicorn, putting it on the site of today's Litten Tree at 8 Lake Street. Oddly there was already a Bell just a few doors away at 10 Market Square suggesting that this is the Little Bell mentioned below.

In 1960 Bedfordshire Historical Records Society published a volume, its fortieth, dedicated to diaries. County Archivist Joyce Godber edited and published the diary of Leighton Buzzard Justice of the Peace John Salusbury (1713-1787) written between the years 1757 and 1759. He only mentions the Little Bell twice in his diary. He was evidently not impressed with the place as his entry for 30th March 1758 shows: "The ale bad and the company thin, so we were obliged to procure some punch". His other visit, on 20th July, was not much better, the company being: "very thin, so we had recourse to wine". Both visits were to attend meetings of his club, the Civil Society.

Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service has a formulary and notebook kept by 18th century attorney Benjamin Pyne which contains a list of twelve licensed properties in the town in 1761. Each inn also has a name beside it which appears to be the name of the licensee (who may both, of course, also have been the owner in some cases). The Little Bell is linked with the name of Thomas Geedon who seems to have definitely been the landlord

In 1768 Collins Millard surrendered a messuage in Leck End immediately east of the Unicorn to John Dell. The messuage is not named but must, by analogy with the surrender of 1757 be the Bell. Perhaps it had closed due to the poor quality of the beer!

In the Northampton Mercury of 19th January 1793 contained a resolution of Leighton Buzzard publicans banning "seditious and disaffected persons" from their houses. Ann Billington signs on behalf of the Little Bell. John Dell, who owned the establishment also owned a property further down Lake Street which he surrendered to Thomas Walker in 1789 and which went on to become the Bell and Woolpack probably in 1791. No more is heard of a Little Bell after 1793.

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:

1761: Thomas Geedon?
1793: Ann Billington.

References:

• X171/206: landlord or owner of Little Bell named: 1761;
• Northampton Mercury: resolution of Leighton Buzzard publicans banning "seditious and disaffected persons" from their houses: 19 Jan 1793.