The White Horse Public House Southill

White Horse Southill July 2007

White Horse Public House: High Street, Southill

The White Horse is the village of Southill's last remaining public house. It is first mentioned in a Register of Alehouse Licences for 1822 [CLP13]. It was listed by the former Department of Environment as Grade II, of special interest. They considered it to be an 18th century building; it is timber-framed with a later brick addition and the whole thing is rendered in colour-washed rough-cast, the building has a clay tile roof.

It formed part of the Whitbread Estate. In 1927 Stanford was valued under the Rating Valuation Act 1925; every piece of land and building in the country was assessed to determine the rates to be paid on it. The valuer visiting the White Horse [DV1/C/124] noted that it comprised a tap room and bar, bar parlour, coffee room ("good"), larder and kitchen downstairs with five Bedrooms ("two of these letting bedrooms") and a bathroom upstairs. Outside were a henhouse, harness room and stable. As to trade: "Doesn’t know" - the licensee referring the valuer to the firm leasing the inn from the estate - Trust Homes Ltd, of Shorts Garden, Drury Lane, London WC2). The valuer estimated 2½ barrels of beer and a gallon spirits per week, noting: "Only licensed house in village".

 Sources:

• CLP13: register of alehouse licences: 1822-1828;
• HF143/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1872-1873;
• HF143/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1874-1877;
• HF143/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1878-1881;
• HF143/4: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1882-1890;
• W4040: repairs at inn, mentioned in Whitbread Estate improvement ledger (pg 195-196): 1890-1895;
• HF143/5: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1891-1900;
• GK1/36: three sales catalogues bound together: Wells & Company of Biggleswade 1898; Henlow Brewery 1899; Baldock Brewery Limited 1903;
• HF143/6: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1900-1914;
• PSBW8/1: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1903-1915;
• PSBW8/2: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade Petty Sessional Division: 1956-1972;
• PSBW8/3: Register of Alehouse Licences - Biggleswade and North Bedfordshire Petty Sessional Divisions: 1976-1980;
• PL/P/MB76/1234: Proposed extension: 1976;
• PCSouthill 9/22: licensing application for stables: 1985;
• PCSouthill 18/20: application for alteration of stables: 1985;
• PCSouthill18/21: application for alteration of snooker room: 1985;
• PCSouthill18/24: application for garden railway: 1985

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: 

1822-1828: George Dilley;
1851-1853: William Dilley
1869-1875: Thomas Barnes
1875-1890: Jane Barnes;
1890: Fanny E.Barnes;
1890-1904: Arthur Robinson;
1904-1914: Mary White Robinson;
1920: Alexander Francis Part with Harry Williams as manager;
1924-1940: Harry Williams
1957: James Nigel Williams Young;
1957-1961: Hilda Potter;
1961-1965: Tudor Francis Morris;
1965-1969: Angus Hambro Brinsley;
1969-1982: James Ireland;
1982-1984: Andrew Denham Talkington and Kenneth William Pearson;
1984-1987: Eileen May Herbert and Malcolm John Herbert;
1987-1989: Eileen May Herbert;
1989-1995: Anthony Roy Tofari