Public Houses of Essex

Research Strategy

Before 1800 the fraternity of Brewers and Victuallers was a lifestyle as much as it was an occupation. The footprint of Innkeepers in one family often extended beyond father and sons to include uncles, cousins and sons-in-law. Members of the Wood family of Ingrave, for example, were Victuallers who by marriage were related to the Wiffen, Myall, and Gigney families, who also were Victuallers. Innkeeping was an occupation practiced by many nonconformist families. If one of your ancestors was a Victualler, you will likely find additional family members in Wills, land records, and Quarter Sessions related to the property they leased or owned.

The Village Pub

Public Houses and Parish Churches were at the center of English communities before 1800. Villagers gathered in the evenings to eat, drink and socialize. Publicans held keys of properties for sale and showed properties to prospective buyers. Auctions were held at Pubs. Town meetings and ad hoc courts were convened at Pubs. On occasion music was performed. If Villagers were not working or not at church, they were in the Pub. "By 1577 it is estimated that there were some 17,000 alehouses, 2,000 inns and 400 taverns throughout England and Wales. Taking into account the population of the period, that would equate to around one pub for every 200 persons" (The Great British Pub. Johnson, Ben, Historic UK).

The Links below highlight either Wood families who were Victuallers or their in-laws in the same occupation. If your ancestors were Innkeepers, we would be thrilled to add them to our growing list.

More About Pubs in England - Do you know the difference between a Tavern and an Alehouse?
St George and Dragon - Barnaby Wood was the Victualler of Mountnessing
The Grffin - Joseph Wiffen was the Victualler of Danbury
The Chequers - Thomas Wiffen was the Victualler of Roxwell

Oldest Pub in Essex

Every county of England has a Pub claiming to be the oldest one in England. What is the oldest Inn in Essex? Excluding claims based on the Domesday Book, there are a few candidates, bearing in mind that any search for the oldest Pub can be systematic but not exhaustive.

In promotional material, The Woolpack Inn of Coggeshall claims it was built in 1408. In the same village, The Chapel Inn of Coggeshall was licensed in 1556 but claims to have been built in 1256. The Blue Boar of Maldon claims to date to 1350-1400 (Promotion photograph of the Blue Boar).

Searching the catalogue of the Essex Archives for the terms "Inn, Innkeeper, and Victualler" yields a list of six locations on record before 1555.

1488: Deeds for The Angel Inn of Romford (D/DCm T45)

1520: Deeds for the Lion Inn of Chelmsford, William and Jeffery Scott Innholders (Q/RDb 51)

1523: Copyhold of Maydenhead of Thorpe-le-Soken (T/A 316/751)

1550: Will of Robert Hayns of Braintree, Innholder (D/ABW 18/100)

1551: Will of John Waterman of Ware, Hertfordshire, Brickmaker and Innkeeper (D/ABW 39/114)

1555: Will of Thomas Wantt of Great Dunmow, Victualler (D/ABW 39/162)