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The Crow Inn ( Hotel )

Believed to have been built in the first half of the 17th century. The oldest part is the two storied gabled brick building which has a beam in the attic with 1641 carved on it.
The earliest known Innkeeper is Thomas Noxon ( d.1741 ) who bought the Crow from William Bowles Esq. ( Lord of the Manor ). The rent was £1 a year plus a couple of fat hens with eggs, suit and services. It was left to his son Thomas Noxon ( d.1809 ). His wife Mary Noxon took over before being sold to John Griffiths in 1811. It had been in the Noxon family for 84 years.This last Thomas Noxon has a plaque to his memory in the Church, erected by his wife Mary as a tribute of affection and gratitude to a kind and indulgent husband.



The Crow Hotel At the End of Teme Street Cross Street

The innkeeper who probably saw more changes than others was John Griffiths and his son Joseph from 1810 to 1855. This was the period that mineral water had been found at the Court and John Griffiths had a well sunk in the grounds of The Crow to open up in opposition to the Court well. This must have worried Septimus Godson as he bought The Crow and used the land to build the Pump Rooms in 1862.
A red brick extension to The Crow was built to accommodate visitors to the Spa about 1870


The Royal Oak.

The Royal Oak is a handsome black and white building situated in the heart of the Town where it has stood for more than 300 years. It is said that there was a date of 1581 on one of the beams, but this has now gone. It has been suggested that a date of mid 17th century would be more accurate.



The Royal Oak Hotel

The first mention of The Royal Oak is in a document dated 1757, which is the will of Benjamin Green in which he left all his estate, including The Royal Oak, to his wife Elizabeth. The Inn was then occupied by Thomas Bishop.We move on to 1772 when Elizabeth Green sells to Thomas Storey for £280. Storey sold to Anne Whitcombe in 1787. Anne Whitcombe in her will in 1787 left The Royal Oak to her brother-in-law Edward Taylor. In 1808 the Burrel family sold the Inn to the Drew family as trustees for Thomas Drew who was the Landlord until 1840.


In 1840 it was sold to Samuel and Thomas Stinton, both Gentlemens servants - these people leased the Inn to Geo. Kempan Excise Officer and then to Wm. Tranter 1842,who then bought the property. Wm. Tranter had other interests in the town as in Bentley's directory for 1855 his interests are listed as ' Grocer, tea dealer, wholesale wine and spirit merchant, brewer, malster and hop merchant.' In 1871 it was leased to Charles Davies of Fulham at an annual rent of £50. This arrangement did not last long as it passed into the hands of Samuel Mattock in 1876. He had been the station master at Tenbury station.


The Market Tavern.
In a sketch map to show the sewers of 1853 the site was marked as The Greyhound. In the 1851 census a William Broom has the title of Butcher/Innkeeper and in 1873 we have William Withington with the title Ale and Porter Merchant and Fruit Marchant, Fishmonger, Butcher and wine and spirit Merchant. Around 1870 the whole site ( The Greyhound and tree cottages ) was raised to the ground to make way for what was thought to be the New Town Hall -


The Tavern and the Round Market (The Old Butter Market)

The old one having been knocked down at the top of Teme Street to widen the road. It was never built but a new Inn was built on the same site.In 1875 The Market Inn was advertised for sale. In 1882 we have The Market Inn adjoining the butter and Poultry Market being disposed of by T.A Davis to Roland Edward Edkins. he was Landlord until 1896.In 1908 we have GF Higginson as landlord of the Market Hotel ( note the name has changed from Inn to Hotel ). In 1914, Frank Dabell stocking Hansons famous Dudley Ales. In 1916 T H Maiden, 1924 T H Maiden and in 1932 Mrs. A Davis.


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