Thursday 16th May 2019:
Tony Maslen writes ~
Hi Danny,
I have references to three other pubs/beerhouses in Heytesbury, apart from the three
you mention - The Red Lion, The Angel and The Unicorn. They are The
Ship and The Crown and The Sun.
The Ship.
Details of The Ship are found at The Wilts and Swindon History Centre under the reference A1/345/202.
The first reference is 1773 when the owner was Lord Charles Spencer and
Harcourt Smith then it was recorded as empty, rates payable 4/6d.
In 1780 the owner was Wm a’ Court Ashe - no occupier.
In 1783 the same owner who was also the occupier.
In 1789 the same owner, occupied by John Wickham.
Occupation continued in the Wickham family until 1831 when the entries end.
I have no information on where this pub was situated - Little London is
a possibility as that was the main road into Heytesbury until the early
19c. There is a detached house there with a cellar and a date mark.
With the closure of the Greenland mill and Little London no longer
experiencing through traffic, the loss of trade may have accounted for
it disappearing from the radar round about the same time.
The Crown Inn.
The only reference I have found for this establishment is from the
Salisbury and Winchester Journal of 17th February 1840 when a dinner
was held to celebrate the marriage of Queen Victoria. The meal consisted of "‘good old English fayre." The national anthem was
sung and the "health of the Queen and her illustrious husband, the
Royal Family, the Army and Navy etc., were drunk amidst the greatest
applause. Several glees and appropriate songs were sung and the evening
was spent in the greatest order and harmony.”
The Sun Inn.
The Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 14th March 1836:
Marriage at Bath of John Stevens of The Sun Inn Heytesbury to Mrs Stevens widow of John Stevens of The Castle Inn Warminster. (This notice also appeared in the Bath Chronicle).
The Unicorn.
Re the Unicorn Inn correspondence from Kathy Tompkins:
The W&SHC at Chippenham ref A1/345/202 Unicorn
1773 Thomas Flower owner rate 5/9d.
1780 - - occupier Thomas Snelgrove rate 7/8d.
1781 - - - Obadiah Flower rate 7/8d.
1789,1790,1792 Owner Isaac Flower occupier Obadiah Flower rate 7/8d.
1810 - - - John Davis rate 7/8d.
1831 - - - - - - - -
There is an advert in the Salisbury & Winchester Journal of 15 November
1830 stating that Isaac Fleming had taken over the ‘old established
inn.’ (Unicorn) This contradicts the details for 1831 in the previous
paragraph!
An advert in the same paper for 17th June 1848 advertising the sale on
the Unicorn premises furniture and brewing equipment etc, property of
Mrs Lockyer (leaving in consequence of the house being about to be
pulled down). This was a two day sale on 26/27 June.
