The Boot Public House Riseley

The Old Boot - 42 High Street April 2015

The Boot Public House: 42 High Street, Riseley

The earliest record we have of The Boot is in 1811 when courts for the Hundred of Stodden and the manor were held there. These continued until 1848. Allen Smart was licensee of the public house for some years and was also the owner, as the countywide licensing register of 1876 tells us that the owners in that year were the executors of Allen Smart of Riseley, deceased. The pub is last recorded in a directory in 1885. The next directory, that for 1890 and subsequent directories make no mention of it. The obvious inference is that the pub closed between 1885 and 1890

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 valuer visiting the former pub [DV1/C222/18] found it owned and occupied by S N Stevens who had a living room, a parlour, a kitchen, a scullery and four bedrooms. The valuer noted "was once public house". Outside stood: a plaster and tiled building which had formerly been a flour house; a weather-boarded and tiled open barn; two weather-boarded and tiled pig pens; a weather-boarded and tiled stable; a brick and tiled coal barn, disused bakehouse and barn.

42 High Street was listed by the former Department of Environment in June 1974 as Grade II, of special interest. The house dates from the 17th century "and later" and was built of colour-washed brick with roughcast to the first floor right-hand side and with a timber frame. The roof is composed of 20th century tiles and the house comprises two storeys and is built in an L-shape.

Sources:

• WG6/15-16: hundred and manor court held at the inn: 1811-1848;
• CLP13: Register of Alehouse Recognizances: 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:

1822-1823: Thomas Croote;
1824-1828: Elizabeth Croot;
1847-1869: Allen Smart;
1876: Samuel Croot;
1885: Ellis Mutter