Hostelries

General

Pre-1830: Alehouses and Taverns 

Before the 19th century, alehouses, inns, and taverns were common. Many brewed their own beer and served as social hubs or lodging for travelers.

The term "public house" (or "pub") emerged in the late 17th century to differentiate establishments open to the public from private homes. An Alehouse was often merely a front room of a cottage and the licensee often pursuing another trade during the day. 

Although there were public houses and alehouses in Weston Turville in the 16th to 18th centuries, only one public house, "The Plow" is shown on the 1799 Enclosure Map. However it is known that the "Chequers" was also operating as an inn at that time. 

1830–1869: The Beerhouse Era 

In 1830, the Beerhouse Act changed the drinking scene in Weston Turville. Designed to promote competition and encourage moderate beer consumption over stronger spirits, the Act allowed any ratepayer to apply for a beer license—at a fee of just two guineas. Two shops, Edmonds and Bunces Stores, started selling beer for off premises consumption, while existing ale houses expanded under relaxed rules. All three established ale houses took advantage of the more relaxed regulation with  the Magpie and Crown becoming beer houses and the Plough became a full Public House. Two new beerhouse emerged, The Vine and Black Horse. Then came "The Chandos Arms" growing into a lively public house at the heart of the village.  Two short lived public Houses followed, The Golden Perch (1851-1862) and The Elephant (1858-1873).   

During this era, the brewing landscape also transformed dramatically. The wider Aylesbury area saw its number of breweries rise from seven in 1830 to ten by 1850, and Weston Turville was right in the midst of this brewing boom. In 1840, a new brewhouse—possibly at The Chandos Arms—was constructed by Richard Pursell for a house occupied by D. Paine or (D. Payne).[14,15] , marking an era of local innovation and enterprise. Reports of drunkenness were mainly around the time of Weston Feasts, and around Christmas and New Year. However, this period was not without its challenges: incidents, such as the break-ins at Mrs. Edmonds’ beer retail venture and The Chequer’s Public House on 8 July 1840,[19] remind us of the tumult that sometimes accompanied rapid change.

By the mid-19th century, Weston Turville was a mosaic of public houses, alehouses, and beerhouses. By 1859, the village hosted five dedicated public houses alongside five beerhouses, with estimates by 1860 suggesting at least eleven distinct licensed venues. Among the alehouses, names like Black Horse, Five Bells, Old Crown, and The Vine became woven into the fabric of village lore. In contrast, public houses such as The Plow, The Elephant, and The Chandos Arms were featured in official census documents, attesting to their importance as community landmarks. The Chequers—operating as an inn—extended its role beyond a mere drinking establishment, offering lodging to those passing through. Even establishments like the Magpie (known locally as the Harrow Inn), licensed for off-premises consumption, reflect a diversity in how beer was enjoyed within and beyond the village walls. Some beer retailers also operated from home or small shops, adding another layer to the intricate history of Weston Turville’s beverage trade.

1853, William Burt and John Astell's applications for licenses were refused. It is possible that John Axtell's application was for a spirit license, as he appears as a beer retailer in that year's directory.

In 1858, Rev Arthur Isham was incensed by news that there was to be another application for a spirit license for one of the beershops in the parish that he sent two letters to the Magistrates of the Petty Sessions in Aylesbury. These seem to have been ignored so he sent copies of the letters to the editor of the Bucks Herald for publication in August 1859. He notes that there are already three public-houses in the village and another in the parish on the reservoir. Additionally there were six beershops in the parish and 50 yards beyond the parish boundary two public-houses that were nearer Weston Turville than Wendover. The application that had so upset Rev. Isham was probably from Mr. William Burtt of the Elephant and was granted, it is worth noting that there was no objection to the issuing of the license at the Petty Session on 28 Aug 1858 when it was granted, not even Rev. Isham.

1859 John Axtell's application for a spirit license for The Black Horse was again refused, as there was already a public house 100 yards away.

Most of the public houses were leased and in 1872 the Chandos Arms, the Elephant and The Vine were owned by the Aylesbury brewers of Messrs. Wroughton and Co. The Five Bells was owned by Messrs. James and Horwood, solicitors of Aylesbury. 

These establishments were at the heart of the community and many of the Benefits clubs were centred there, these helped out in times of hardship held annual feasts etc.

1862 (Bucks Herald 30 Aug) reports Weston Turville having 5 Spirit licenses and 5 for Beer there are no licenses for the sale of beer to be consumed off the premises. No drink related convictions.

1867 - "FOUR CLUB FEASTS were held here on the 10th and 11th inst. The Waddesdon band was in attendance at the Plough Inn, where about ninety members sat down to dinner; at the Chandos Arms, about 100; at the Elephant, about forty; and at Bates's, about thirty. Most of the members attended divine service at the Parish Church, which was conducted by the rector, the Rev. A. Isham, who delivered an impressive sermon applicable to the occasion. Cricket and other amusements were afterwards indulged in, and all passed off very creditably".[2]  Bates's would have been the Crown.

1868 Drunk and riotous (2 Jul)

John Atkins was charged with being drunk and riotous, at Weston Turville, on the 2nd inst.

Police-constable Henry Andrews said he met the defendant about two o'clock on the morning of the 2nd of June, with his coat off and wanting to fight. He went up to defendant, when he struck him in the face. He was going to strike witness again, when he took him into custody. His friends came up and took him away by force.

The defendant, who did not appear, was ordered to be committed for seven days, without the option of a fine. He afterwards came into Court, and in consideration of his having borne a good character previously, he having been in the army, and being in possession of two good conduct medals, the Bench let him off by paying fine of 20s., including costs. Mr. Tindal to Mr. Clarke-There is an instance of a sentence being altered, Mr. Clark![17]

Temporance Movement

Though there was much Temporance Movement activity Weston Turville and Wendover, the pubs wasn't just a place to drink—it was a hub of social interaction and communal tradition maintained over generations. The clubs, societies and sporting activities were all based in the village hostelries before the Church Room (built 1909), Union Chappel (erected 1839)  and Haig Hall (opened in 1931) there weren't any alternate venues. Temporance Movement influence seems to have been dampened by the deep-rooted cultural practices tied to regular, communal drinking. The village Benefit Societies were based in The Chandos Arms, Plough Inn, Vine Inn, The Elephant and the Chequers Inn. Though the Union Chapel countered with "The Bible Benefit Society" in 1870, it was the smallest in the village and was dissolved in 1881. Moderation seemed to be the focus, the ingrained role of the village pub in daily life meant that any lasting reduction in alcohol consumption was generally modest.

In the early 1900s, "The Aylesbury and District Free Church Council and the Aylesbury United Temperance Committee protested most applications for licences. This continued right up until the 1930s when they successfully prevented Aylesbury Brewing Co. plans to build "The Fox" on Wendover Road.

No Drink related convictions 1901-1908.

In  1908 There were objections to renewing the licence for the The Vine.

In  1909, there was one convictions for being drunk.

20th Century: Decline of Beer Houses 

By 1910, beer houses made up about a third of drinking establishments but dwindled after World War II. The category was abolished in 1980. 

During this period, the decline in pubs was largely due to the Edwardian Cull, a nationwide campaign to reduce the number of pub licenses. This was driven by concerns about excessive drinking and its social impact. Magistrates were encouraged to refuse license renewals for pubs deemed unnecessary, leading to a significant reduction in their numbers. During this period, The Crown and Black Horse Beer Houses and The Vine Public House closed. The Vine had been in decline from the start of the Twentieth Century with frequent change of Landlord and competition from other more convienient pubs in the parish, one of which was only 272 yards nearer the centre of the village.

There were no drink related convictions in  1910, 1912, 1915, 1917, 1918, 1922 and 1926 when number of convictions was no longer reported.

1910 The Plough (P.H.) however was not considered well conducted.

In  1911, there were two convictions for being either drunk or drunk and disorderly. 

In  1913, (The Vine P.H. had voluntarily closed under the Licensing Consolidation Act, 1910) and one convictions for being Drunk and Disorderly. The Chairman of the Aylesbury Licensing Committee also commented that there were no convictions of any license holder during the year.

The Annual Licensing Report for Buckinghamshire in January 1914 showed the Compensation fund with funds of £1,100 13s 4d. It had been decided in the previous May that ten licensed houses should be closed in 1914. The Bucks Brewers Association proposed the voluntary closure of ten properties without compensation on the understanding that closure of more houses with compensation be deferred. That list included the Beerhouse "on" Crown in Weston Turville, which duly closed in 1915.[10]

The Great War

The Great War had a significant impact on Weston Turville's Hostelries.

Economic Impact as local men enlisted, though much military activity due to the activities at Halton may have compensated.

Regulatory Changes The Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) was introduced in 1914, which included measures such as restricting pub opening hours and limiting the sale of alcohol. New laws meant that pubs were forced to close during the middle of the day to prevent all day drinking. The new hours saw establishments open initially between midday and 2:30pm, before staying closed until 6:30pm when they would then stay open until 21:00 or 21:30 in some areas. Failure to observe these strict licensing hours saw landlords lose their licenses and pubs being forced to shut down. During World War I, pub licensing hours in England and Wales were significantly restricted under the Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) to curb excessive drinking and maintain productivity. Before the war, pubs could open from 6 AM to 11 PM in towns and 6 AM to 10 PM in rural areas.

Further to these licensing laws, additional restrictions were brought in regarding alcohol. Beer in particular was ordered to be ‘watered down‘ to make it less potent and reduce drunkenness. 

The government also introduced a "No Treating Order", which prohibited buying drinks for others to discourage excessive consumption.

In 1917, breweries were required to produce half their beer at a gravity of 1036º or about 3.5% ABV, down from an average gravity of 1053º (approximately 5.3% ABV) in 1914. By 1918, the average gravity dropped further to 1030º, equating to around 3% ABV. 

These restrictions remained in place after the war, with gradual extensions in the 1920s, leading to the Licensing Act of 1921, which allowed pubs to open from 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM and 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM on weekdays.

In  1916, In the Aylesbury District, there were no convictions under the Licensing (Consolidation)  Act, there were 6 under the "Early Closing Order" of 17th Sept 1914 and the Army order made under the Defence of the Realm Regulations. There was a population of 737 and 6 licensed properties (one for every 147 in the parish) and no convictions for being drunk. (Though the quoted population is from the census, it was noted that population had actually increased, though crime relating to drunkenness had decreased and more than half of those convicted were "strangers".

In  1918, "The Black Horse" license surrendered (voluntarily) - reason not clear.

The Bucks Licensing Committee accepted a proposal that there be no compensation levy in 1918 in exchange for the voluntary closure of 10 licensed houses, which included the Black Horse in Weston Turville.[12] 

In 1918 & 19 opening hours were extended in Weston Turville by one hour during British Summer Time to 10p.m. (Sun Time 9p.m.) to allow allotment holders and agricultural workers to get a little refreshment after they had finished their days work on the land.

1918 (Reported 10 Feb 1919) population of 737 and 3 Public Houses + 1 Beer House "On" for a Total 4  licensed properties.

1924 Christmas Day (From Bucks Herald) 

CHRISTMAS DAY SCENE. Gilbert Sidney Sharp, fruit salesman, 13. Cambridge-place, Aylesbury, was summoned for being drunk in charge of a horse and cart at World's End, Weston Turville, on Christmas Day. Defendant pleaded not guilty. Harry Betteress, bootmaker, 13. Cambridge-place Aylesbury, was charged with being drunk and disorderly at World's End. Weston Turville, on the same day. He pleaded not guilty. P.S. Blane stated that at 6.30 p.m. on Dec. 25th he was with P.C. Dickens in High-street, Wendover, when he saw both defendants. Sharp was leading a pony and cart, and the reins were dragging on the ground. Betteress was staggering behind. Both were the worse for drink, and Sharp, when questioned by witness, said he had to go to Aylesbury. Betteress then came up, and said, "You leave my uncle alone; I am capable of looking after him." Sharp said he was a brute to drive a pony. Acting on witness's advice, both defendants got into the cart and they drove off, zig-zagging about the road. They then appeared to go off allright, but witness followed them and found them in a publichouse, drinking. He got them out, and got a taxi to send them home, but they flatly refused to go. They struggled violently with witness, whose thumb was put out. Sharp denied being drunk, saying he was suffering from shell-shock. Butteress: I am a teetotaller 51 weeks out of the 52 and a non-smoker, and I deny being drunk. - The Chairman: I advise you to add the other week to the year-Defendants were each fined 10s.

In the year to Feb 1925, there were two convictions for being drunk and disorderly. 

1925 DRUNK. (From Bucks Herald 15 Aug 1925)

Ernest Chas. Pratt, labourer, 7. Staines-road, Green Hill, Harrow, was summoned for being drunk and incapable at Weston Turville on Monday, August 3rd. He pleaded guilty.-P.S.Blane said at 10.45 p.m. on August the date mentioned he saw defendant lying in the road at World's End, helplessly drunk. He was very civil and gave no trouble. Supt. Kent said defendant held good character and in view of this he was ordered to pay costs only.

1925 There were two convictions for drunkenness with aggravation in the year (Reported 13 Feb 1926) (we are not sure which events were included in this statistic, date of charge or of conviction?).

1926 A ships chief steward, Charles Edward White was staying in Aylesbury, describing himself as a representative of the "Daily Mail". Armed with a small attaché case containing two notebooks, one containing a list of public houses in the area, and other props such as a stick of sealing wax, some full and empty sample bottles he visited Isabella Warner at The Chandos Arms and Frank Langstone at The Chequers. He introduced himself as a Customs and Excise Officer who was investigating complaints from officers at R.A.F. camp in Halton. He showed a whisky sample that he said looked rather weak in colour. While he looked over their stock-books and permits, he offered to change it as it could mean a £50 or £60 fine and license revocation. Charles White was found guilty and sentenced to prison for three months on each charge, sentences to run concurrently.[10] 

1933 (Reported 03 Feb 1934), there were 4 Licensed Houses, one for every 260 population, against an average across the Aylesbury licensing district of 190.[11]

1938 Aylesbury Brewing Co. proposed to remove the full license of "The Fox Inn" at Scrubwood and apply it to new premises also be known as "The Fox" which they planned to erect on the Wendover Road, Weston Turville just beyond the garage at the entrance to Station Road. Objections were made by protesters that were not even local and not actually entitled to voice an objection. There was actually little opposition and the local Temperance bodies and Band of Hope Union seem to have double counted votes. The Weston Turville parish had a population of 1,040 at the 1931 census and the population was growing. In the parish, there were three fully licensed houses and one beerhouse which equated to 260 persons to each house, substantially lower than neighbouring parishes. Never-the-less, the application was refused.[7] 

There was one conviction for drunkenness with aggravation in the year to Feb 1938 (we are not sure which events were included in this statistic).

1990s

The decline in this era was shaped by a combination of economic and social changes. Factors included stricter alcohol regulations, increased taxation, and changing consumer habits. The rise of alternative entertainment options and a shift in drinking culture, with younger generations consuming less alcohol, also contributed to the closure of many pubs.

After more than three centuries of eventful hospitality, Weston Turville lost "The Plough" in 1994.

Today however, we also have The Holiday Inn, Weston Turville Stores together with the golf and rugby clubs in the parish, also licenced for alcohol sale.

Breweries

The financially troubled Lion Brewery in Princes Risborough had 80 freehold, copyhold and leasehold properties spread over a wide area, one of which was probably The Vine. There was a loss of rental approaching £300 per annum. They were also the leaseholder of the Rothschild's Arms, Aston Clinton. It was purchased by Welch Ale Brewery in March 1900.[9] The pubs were then sold to the Aylesbury Brewery Co. Ltd. in 1920.

Dells Brewery in Aylesbury had at least one property in Weston Turville, "The Plow/Plough" from 1796 it was later a Griffin Brewery (Fuller, Smith & Turner) Tied House.[6]

Ivinghoe Brewery - Roberts & Wilson supplied "Chandos Arms" which was transferred to Benskins in 1927.[6]

Brew House owned by Lucas & Lovett in Brewhouse Lane, Rowsham supplied Chequers. Sold to William Kempton Gurney in 1875. Brewing ceased in 1939.[6]

Walton Brewery absorbed into Aylesbury Brewery Company A.B.C. supplied "The Plough", "Chequers", "(Old) Crown", "Vine" (from 1904) and "Black Horse". Acquired by Allied Breweries in 1973.[6] 

References

1. ^ Mid 1800s Pub Crawl by Glynn White.

2. ^ Bucks Herald 15 Jun 1867

3.  ^ "Weston Turville - A History" by Hamish Eaton

4. 1872 Return of Public Houses and Beer houses

5. ^Aylesbury Historic Town Report

6. ^Breweryhistory.com

7. ^ Bucks Herald 11 Feb 1938

8. ^ Bucks Herald 10 Jan 1925

9. ^ The Brewers Journal 15 Mar 1899

10. ^ Bucks Advertiser 13 Feb 1926

11. ^ Bucks Herald 09 Feb 1934

12. ^ Uxbridge & W Drayton Gazette 12 Apr 1918

13. ^ Bucks Herald 10 Jan 1914

14. ^ Bucks Gazette 12 Sep 1840

15. ^ Bucks Gazette 29 Aug 1840

16. ^ Bucks Herald 31 Aug 1895

17. ^ Bucks Herald 04 Jul 1868

18. ^Bucks Herald 04 Sep 1869

19. ^ Bucks Herald 11 Jul 1840

To Research

• Mary Hayley/Hailey Baker (daughter of Sir Robert Baker, Chief Magistrate of Bow-street, Treasurer of Middlesex) Died 1838 (cloths caught on fire). In April 1832, she was a tenant of a freehold estate with a brewhouse and bakehouse with an annual rent of £26. We also have a letter to her from G.H Dashwood (West Wycombe), also 1832 in our archive.