The Cock, one of Epping's oldest hostelries has held its license since 1552. Its one of the few inns remaining of the 22 which once graced the High Street and which earned Epping its former reputation as a town of inns and pubs. During the stage coach era, the Cock was the chief posting place after the renowned Epping Place inn, resort of royalty and celebrities had ceased to function in 1844. The inn was the starting point for a daily coach to London. Three coaches, the 'Saffron Walden', 'Bishop's Stortford' and Norwich 'Expedition' called in en route to and from London. It was also a Posting house, and the Mail coach arrived at 5 a.m. for London and 10p.m. for Norwich.
Over 130 years ago, according to the Essex Countryside magazine (January 1967) three famous old Epping horses with just one eye between them proudly drew the coach driven by Joe Wilks of Tidy's Lane from the Cock Hotel to meet the trains at Loughton station when the railway first reached there in 1867. The totally blind leader knew the way to Loughton, and on its return always stopped at the entrance to the hotel. The service was started by Walter Tweed, the hotel's landlord. After the railway was extended to Epping, Tweed ran a one horse bus fitted with a rear door and steps to Epping station. The driver was a Dickensian character called William Law, who wore a top hat decorated with a cockade.
This pub is now closed and in mixed retail use (2014).
Epping pub history index
Colleen
Cock, High Street, Epping - in February 2014
Kindly provided by Stephen Harris
Residents at this address.
The licensee in 1776 was recorded on the Alehouse Recognizances as William Barber, at the Cock, Epping.
1791/William Redgrave/Excise Officer/../../Universal British
1792/William Redgrave/../../../ERO*
1822/Elizabeth Stokes/../../../Pigots**
1823-4/Elizabeth Stokes/../../../Pigots
1828-9/Elizabeth Head/../../../Pigots
1832-3/Thomas Basham/../../../Pigots
1839/Thomas Basham/../../../Pigots
1840/Thomas Basham/../../../Pigots**
1845/George Tweed/../../../Post Office
1848/George Tweed/../../../Whites
1851/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/../../../Post Office
1851/Sophia Tweed/innkeeper (widow)/50/Epping, Essex/Census ***
1851/Mary Ann Tweed/niece/23/Cambridge/Census
1851/Sarah Tweed/niece/20/Cambridge/Census
1851/Eliza Brown/house servant/28/High Laver, Essex/Census
1851/Elizabeth Bickmore/assistant house servant/27/Bishops Wood sic, Essex/Census
1851/Henry Bones/inn servant/35/Netteswell, Essex/Census
1851/Arthur Monk/labourer/28/Epping, Essex/Census
1855/Mrs. S. W. Tweed/../../../Kellys**
1856/Mrs. Sophia Tweed & Son/../../../Post Office
1861/Sophia Tweed/Inn Keeper, Widow/65/Epping, Essex/Census
1861/Walter Tweed/Son, Assistant/33/Epping, Essex/Census
1861/Mary Ann Tweed/Niece/32/Cambridge, Cambs/Census
1861/Margaret Pooley/Cook/42/Glamorganshire/Census
1861/Esther Cook/Kitchen Maid/24/Matching, Essex/Census
1861/Eliza Brown/HouseMaid/37/High Laver, Essex/Census
1861/Mary A Reynolds/HouseMaid/18/Nazeing, Essex/Census
1861/?? Monk/Hostler/39/Epping, Essex/Census
1861/Charles H Broyd/Porter/18/Old Bailey, Middx/Census
1862/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/../../../Kellys
1862/Walter Tweed/../../../Kellys
1867/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1867/Walter Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1870/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1870/Walter Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1871/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1871/Walter Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1871/Sophia Tweed/Hotel Keeper, Widow/75/Epping, Essex/Census
1871/Walter Tweed/Son, Manager/43/Epping, Essex/Census
1871/Mary A Tweed/Niece, Assistant Manager/42/Cambridge, Cambs/Census
1871/Marianne Young/Bar Maid/21/Bampton, Oxford/Census
1871/Amelia Plumridge/Domestic Servant/50/Millson, Wilts/Census
1871/Hannah Britton/Waitress/21/North Weald, Essex/Census
1871/Mary A Patman/General Servant/15/Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex/Census
1871/George Jaffray/Visitor, Silk Merchant/29/Scotland/Census
1874/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Kellys
1874/Walter Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Kellys
1878/Mrs. Sophia Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1878/Walter Tweed/Wholesale Wine & Spirit Merchant/../../Post Office
1881/Walter Tweed/Hotelkeeper & Wine Merchant/53/Epping, Essex/Census
1881/Mary A. Tweed/Cousin, Manageress/52/Cambridge, Cambridge/Census
1881/Florence E. Machon/Barmaid/24/Arkesden, Essex/Census
1881/Rebecca Clarke/Domestic Waitress/29/Cublington, Buckingham/Census
1881/Hannah Britton/Domestic Chambermaid/31/North Weald, Essex/Census
1881/Emma Hart/Domestic Cook/39/Woodford, Essex/Census
1881/Rose Garwood/Domestic Kitchenmaid/16/Writtle, Essex/Census
1881/Thomas Duffy/Assistant Waiter/15/Lambeth, Surrey/Census
1882/Walter Tweed/../../../Kellys
1886/Edward Lawrence/../../../Kellys
1890/William Longman/../../../Kellys
1894/Harry Morris/../../../Kellys
1895/Harry Morris/../../../Kellys
1899/Baker & Co./../../../Kellys
1901/John Ellis/Publican/52/Mile End, London/Census
1901/Elizabeth A Ellie/Wife/45/Kilburn/Census
1901/Maude A Pickman/Niece, Visitor/22/Notting Hill Gate/Census
1901/Helen A Havill/Cook/35/../Census
1901/Elizabeth Sutton/Waitress/28/Carlers lane, City E/Census
1901/Angela A Sutton/Chambermaid/19/Newington Butts/Census
1901/Rose Savill/Kitchenmaid/16/Copt Hall, Essex/Census
1901/Alice Robinson/Barmaid/25/Lambeth/Census
1901/William Goody/Billiard Marker/52/Sudbury, Suffolk/Census
1901/John E Jones/Visitor, Clergyman, Widow/60/AberysWuyth, Carlisle/Census
1902/Baker & Co./../../../Kellys
1906/John Ellis/../../../Kellys
1908/John Ellis/../../../Kellys
1910/Ernest Maddick/../../../Kellys
1912/Henry Flower/../../../Kellys
1914/Henry Flower/../../../Kellys
1917/Frank Porter Worsnop/../../../Kellys
1922/Frank Porter Worsnop/../../../Kellys
1925/Frank Porter Worsnop/../../../Kellys
1929/Mrs. Vera Elizabeth Porter Worsnop/../../../Kellys
1933/Edward George Davis/../../../Kellys
1937/Attwell & Escott/Proprietors/../../Kellys
* Provided by Ken Harrison
** Providedby the Pubs, Inns and Taverns Index for England,1801-1900
*** Provided by John Mead