The Wellington Tap Public House Lower Caldecote

The Wellington Tap in 1844 [BS398]

The Wellington Hotel or The Duke of Wellington or The Wellington Tap Public House, Lower Caldecote

This public house or hotel is listed in the register of alehouse licences covering the period 1822 to 1828 [CLP13] and occurs in directories until 1839. In 1844 it formed part of the estate of the late Jeremiah Bryant sold at auction. The sale particulars [BS398] detail the premises as part of Lot 13 which included a large house with fourteen bedrooms standing to the west of the Wellington Tap which, itself, stood directly on the Great North Road. The particulars describe the property as follows:

A WELL ACCUSTOMED ALE HOUSE

Brick-built and Slated,

KNOWN AS THE “WELLINGTON TAP”

STANDING NEXT TO THE GREAT NORTH ROAD,

Let to Mr. Pierson, of Hitchin, under a Yearly tenancy, at £20 per Annum.

The Purchaser of this Lot will be entitled to the benefit of the wine, spirit and beer license attached to it, renewing the same at his own expense. 

The fact that the property is not mentioned again, by any variation of the Wellington name, suggests that it closed shortly after the auction. The building stood a few yards north of the King's Head Public House.

References:

• CLP13: register of alehouse licences: 1822-1828
• BS398: sale particulars of the Wellington Tap: 1844

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

1822: William Burton;
1822-1827: William Gibson
1827-1839: Jeremiah Bryant
1844: Mr. Pierson
Closed about 1844