Fred Naish’s Memories of the Crown

The Crown Hotel was in business and popular for the people living at the lower end of the Village. It was very exciting when the Fair Ground Showmen brought the Switchbacks and other Sideshows on the scene causing much excitement. Doctor Barnes who lived opposite The Crown, smoking his favourite cigar, would gather several children round him and pay for their rides after he had had a late Dinner.

Another event was the Cattle, Pig and Sheep Market held once a month in the Crown yard on a Tuesday.

I can recall on special occasions when the then Prince of Wales used to visit the Crown Hotel and bring the College Beagles, which were owned by a few College Students, and have a day’s hunting across the fields at Waterperry and other Villages returning at teatime, putting the Beagle Dogs back in the van and taking them back to their kennels, enjoying their visit and the hospitality of Mr William Tombs who was Landlord at that time.

Another interesting item about the Crown, it had history of the coaching days where they used to change horses at the stables in the yard below. Under the archway facing the road, there are four pulleys in the roof which were used to pull up heavy trunks on to the top of the coach.