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Billericay pub history index
A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Essex.
The Crown has the most history and the longest running of the pubs and Inns in Billericay. The Crown was in existence in 1563, and occupied the site later occupied by Laylands main shop in 1962. It was still there in 1593, but then moved to the site occupied by Clarkes the Butchers, in 1962, and adjacent properties.
The old Crown Archway is still in existence on this site, as are the stables and outbuildings, which extend on either side of the Crown yard, now a short cut to Chapel street.
In 1761 there is a record of men from Essex and Kent playing cricket here; and the Chelmsford Chronicle of August 1771 discusses a match between Temple Mills, in Essex and men from the same county, for £20.
The Crown was also favoured for business lunches; and the Chelmsford Chronicle of February 1787 records when Mrs Birch of Northfleet entertains at the Annual Lime Feast at the Crown, in Billericay, on Shrove Tuesday.
The Crown was a typical coaching Inn, and had its most prosperous times between 1800 and 1840. Two coaches left every day to London, and two to Rochford and Southend, plus a weekly service to Chelmsford.
Patrons were able to sample water cress from its own water cress beds in Chapel street, and also pure water pumped from its own wells. For stronger refreshment, the Crown had its own brewery, in Crown Yard. There was a ballroom for entertainment, and for driving around town, you could hire a horse and gig.
The Crown was also the posting office and the excise office. To ensure the guests their privacy, a Crown Tap was opened for the employess and locals of the town. This later became the Coach and Horses, at the lower end of the Yard. There was also a malt house and a counting house, wine vaults, store rooms and stables.
The rown was also the meeting place for many town organisations, with an Assembly Room standing on the site of the Council Chamber until 1831, when it was demolished to make way for the present building (1962). The Inn was so prosperous it was thought it would never close, but then along came the opening of the Eastern Counties Railway in 1889 and there was a sharp decline in coaching, with an attempt to add new coaches to run to connect with trains at Brentwood, but this also doomed to failure.
The Crown struggled on for some years, and is last mentioned in 1859, and shortly afterwards it closed its door for ever. BUT, the name continued as it was used for a beerhouse on the site of Stanwoods (1962.), and here it remained until the 1880s when it was transferred to the current site. On the 1st January 1889, the first passenger train ran to Billericay, and the proprietors of the Crown, who were hoping to get some trade from this, opened the typically Victorian public house that still stands today by the station.
This seems to have started as the Crown Beerhouse at 123-126 High Street, in the early years of the 19th century.
In around 1890 a full licence was obtained and the pub moved to the newly built No. 2 High Street to become the Crown Hotel. The original premises survived in retail use until 1963, when they were demolished. The Crown still survives, although 'Hotel' has been dropped from its title.
Crown, High Street, Billericay - in 1936
Crown, High Street, Billericay
Crown (Hotel), 2 High Street, Billericay, Essex in May 2008
Kindly provided by Stephen Harris
Residents at this address
1823-4/John Goodman/Post & Excise Officer/../../Pigot's
1828/William More Jun./Licensee/../../Alehouse Recognizances*
1828-9/John Goodman/../../../Pigot's
1839/William Whale/Horse & Gig Owner/../../Pigot's
1845/William Rolph/../../../Post Office
1845/William Rolph/../../../Post Office
1848/William Rolph/../../../White's
1851/William Rolph/Brewer/../../Post Office
1851/Sarah Baker/widow, licensed victualler/44/Billericay, Essex/Census ***
1851/Mahala Baker/daughter, dressmaker/17/Billericay, Essex/Census
1851/William Catt/lodger, blacksmith/49/Swilland, Suffolk/Census
1851/Mary A Catt/lodger, his wife/45/Alphamstone, Essex/Census
1851/Charles Catt/their son/16/Billericay, Essex/Census
1851/Harry Catt/their son/14/Springfield, Essex/Census
1851/Samuel Catt/their son/12/Chelmsford, Essex/Census
1851/James Catt/their son/07/Chelmsford, Essex/Census
1855/Mrs. S. Baker/../../../Kelly's**
1881/George Perkins/Beer Retailer/29/Great Waltham, Essex/Census
1881/Elizabeth Perkins/Wife/30/British Subject, France/Census
1882/George Perkins/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's
1886/George Perkins/Beer Retailer/../../Kelly's
Note: Premises not named between 1881 & 1886
1894/George Perkins/Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Kelly's
1895/George Perkins/../../../Kelly's
1898/Edward Hardey/../../../Kelly's
1899/Edward Hardey/../../../Kelly's
1901/Samuel W Stowers/Licensed Victualler/31/Burnham, Essex/Census
1901/Emily Stowers/Wife/31/Southminster, Essex/Census
1901/Walter H Stowers/Son/5/Bradwell on Sea, Essex/Census
1901/William C Stowers/Son/4/Bradwell on Sea, Essex/Census
1901/Harriett Halls/General Servant/15/Billericay, Essex/Census
1901/Geo Archibald Brown/Groom/32/Witham, Essex/Census
1902/Samuel W Stowers/../../../Kelly's
1908/William Rodwell Finden/Jobmaster/../../Kelly's
1911/Charles Edward Bescoby/Jobmaster/41/Romford, Essex/Census
1911/Edith Margueritte Bescoby/Wife, Licensed Victualler/31/Caterham Valley, Surrey/Census
1911/Dudley William Finden/Stepson/1/Billericay, Essex/Census
1911/Alfred Sadler/Father in Law, Former Licensed Victualler/69/Heybridge, Essex/Census
1911/Constance Eileen Long/Barmaid/21/London, Middlesex/Census
1911/Agnes Kathleen Williams/Barmaid/18/London/Census
1912/Charles Edward Bescoby/Jobmaster/../../Kelly's
1917/Frederick James Hawkins/../../../Kelly's
1925/Mrs. M. Taylor/../../../Kelly's
1929 - 1963/F G Potter/../../../Freehold
1933/Frederick George Potter/Manager/../../Kelly's
1937/Frederick George Potter/Manager/../../Kelly's
May 1964/K G Beer/../../../Freehold
* Provided by Mike Smith
** Provided
by the Pubs, Inns and Taverns Index for England, 1801-1900
*** Provided by John Mead
Provided by Stephen Harris