The Briars February 2010 - roughly on the site of The King's Arms

The King's Arms Public House: Church Road, Totternhoe. 

The King's Arms lay in Church Road and The Briars occupies roughly the same site today. The first reference to the public house held by Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service in in 1822 when it appears in the countywide register of alehouse licences [CLP13].

In 1829, following the death of the Earl of Bridgewater, his estate in Totternhoe was surveyed [BW1004]. The survey also included every building in the parish, whether owned by the estate or not (and at that date most were not). At that date the Kings Arms was owned by a man named Hunt and occupied by John Battams, the premises standing in 29 poles of land.

A similar survey was carried out in 1840 and by that date the owner is described as Thomas Hunt and the occupier as Thomas Battams. The 1841 census, however, simply shows two inhabitants, John Battams, aged about 65 and Martha Battams aged about 40.

The King's Arms presumably closed shortly after the 1841 census as it does not appear in any directories thereafter, it is not named in the 1851 census and not included in the next licensing register to list properties in Totternhoe, that beginning in 1872 [PSL6/1].

References

• CLP13: register of alehouse licences: 1822-1828;
• BW1004: Estate Survey of Totternhoe: 1829;
• BW1006: Estate Survey of Totternhoe: 1840.  

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

1822: John Battams;
1840: Thomas Battams.