The Greyhound Inn Milton Bryan

The Greyhound Inn: Hockliffe Road, Milton Bryan

The Greyhound on a map of 1901

The earliest mention of the Greyhound is on 31st August 1754 when the Rector noted in his register of tithes [X227/2]: “My two Lands in Ford Field which are call’d Stump-Acre, are the 6th and 7th from ye Corner-Hedge on Battlesden High-Way shooting from thence down to ye Road, over against the Grey Hound”.

In 1785 the Greyhound formed part of a settlement of the Inglis Estate, the family being Lords of the Manor of Milton Bryan. In 1794 a lease of land in Milton Bryan and Battlesden refers to one of the fields as being opposite the Greyhound [T39/3].

The Greyhound stood on the Milton Bryan side of road opposite the first turning to Battlesden heading south as shown on the map above. The map was drawn up in 1901 and named the Greyhound and yet it seems as though the pub was long out of business. It is not listed in the countywide licensing registers of 1876, 1891 or 1903, nor in the Leighton Buzzard Petty Sessional licensing registers which begin in 1902. The last mention of it seems to be in a directory of 1854. Perhaps the house retained the name.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. The Greyhound is not listed. Milton Bryan, like most of the county was assessed in 1927 and this evidence suggests that the property, presumably dating back to at least the 18th century, was pulled down between 1901 and 1927.

References:

• X227/2: abuttal: 1754;
• X21/600: settlement of the Inglis estate: 1785;
• T39/3: abuttal: 1794.
• CLP13: countywide licensing register: 1822-1828

Licencees: note that this is not a complete list and that dates in italics are not necessarily beginning or end dates, merely the first/last date which can be confirmed from sources such as directories and deeds:

1785: Mary Eddins;
1822-1847: Richard Reddall;
1853-1854: John Willison