Updated January 2024
I list here 115 (and counting!) historic watering holes that existed pre 1920. When a post has been published on this blog focusing on one of these, either the historic pub as a whole or a family who ran it, I will come back to this post and add in the link. You can also use the Pub Related menu find a longer list of posts featuring any of the pubs below including posts where the pub is not the main focus of the post but gets an interesting mention.
Unless stated all premises are in Great Marlow proper but this post also covers some outlying parts of Great Marlow Parish like Bovingdon Green as well as Little Marlow. It does not cover Lane End or Bisham. I do have a lot of research about Lane End pubs which will come online over the course of 2021. See the Pub Related option or Nearby Places Menu to see what Lane End pub content is already up on the blog.
The date next to each pub is when I personally have found a first reference to it but I have a pile of notes to wade through going back over a decade of research so these dates are not by any means the end word on it. I only give a date if I have myself seen historic evidence for it. I do not include reputed dates to keep things simple.
Ongoing research - not all have a date next to their name yet and not all pubs are necessarily listed yet. More pre 1800 inns will follow.
See at the end of the post for premises with known certain location but no as yet known premises name.
Sources: Buckinghamshire Archives, National Archives, business papers, censuses, wills (I have transcribed dozens from the National Archives), trade directories from the University of Leicester, private letters, original parochial assessment notebooks owned by my family and transcribed by me, censuses transcribed by me from microfilm, court cases and more.
©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to reuse this research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog.
Albert, Moor End Common, see also the Prince Albert.
Alma, Dean Street. 1830. Landlord listing here
Anchor, Dean Street, mainly a licensed lodging house later. C1841-1876 at least. See also Crown and Anchor, it is not the same premises. Landlord listing and history of the Anchor here.
Angel, High Street 1551+ later called the King's Head. Still there 1653 when it's owned by John Moore senior, and believed to be sold by his brother Robert on former's death in 1673, to Thomas Winckle. (Will of Robert Moore, National Archives) In two tenements 1735.
Antelope, alternative name for the Roebuck.
Arms, The - brief name change for the Verney Arms.
Bank of England AKA Ye Olde Bank of England AKA The Bank, Dean Street. 1840. New built then but nothing to say not on site of older premises. Landlord listing here
Barge Pole, Church Passage. 1833. Closed 1873. Historic landlords here
Bear
1.) High Street. 1614 -1735 at least. Landlords listing here
2.) Chapel Street 1830+. Primarily a lodging house later in the century. List of landlords for this location here
Black Boy
1 High Street, West side. 1602+ Converted into malt house by George Bruere esq by 1735.
2. Church Passage From 1780 (at least) to 1872. Historic landlords here
Black Horse
1.) Chapel Street. 1833+. Closed 1929. List of landlords here. Possibly at two different locations within Chapel Str.
2.) Little Marlow. 1887.
Black Lion, Well End. 1839 is my first reference but it is believed to be far older - list of landlords here
Blacksmith's Arms
1.) Handy Cross. 1847. Landlords listing here
2.) Well End, Little Marlow 1890. Closed 1933.
There was a Jolly Blacksmiths at Lane End which sometimes was also referred to as the Blacksmiths Arms.
Blue Banner
1.) St Peter's Street. 1833. Last known mention at this location 1862. Also a grocers shop and tailor's premises (yes at same time. Few small pubs like this generated income enough on their own to support even the thriftiest family!) . Owned until 1850 by Samuel Barnes, ardent political supporter of the Clayton's.
2.) West End [West Street, though more Henley Road in this case]1889 but said to be well established then. Looks to be very close to the modern Hand and Flowers but is not the same premises. Definitely on that side of the road, said to be about a quarter of a mile from The Red Lion.
Blue Flag AKA the Old Blue Flag, Handy Cross. 1833. Note: this was also a blacksmith's premises. History and landlord listing here. There was also a Blue Flag at Cadmore End.
Bonnet So Blue AKA the Bonnet O' Blue, The Blue Bonnets, West End / West Street. More info here, landlords here
Bowl and Pin. 1773 first mention, but said to be well established by then. Occupied the former "Old Bridge House", St Peters Street which belonged to the Bridge wardens. This was not the same as the now existing Old Bridge House. Demolished 1790. Seems to have been a good sized premises.
Brewery Tap. 1868. Taproom of a brewery. Charles Edward Gibbons in charge 1872.
The Brick Kiln. Moor Common. 1880.
Bricklayer's Arms. Chapel Street. 1831. List of landlords here.
Bull Head. High Street. 1628. John Clarke landlord 1686. Premises still there in 1717 though then it was part empty with the rest let to Mr Richard Cotterell. He apparently occupied the whole in 1704. Described as two tenements 1735.
Carpenter's Arms, Spittal Street. 1830. List of landlords here
Carrier's Arms, Wycombe Road. 1848?. Briefly named instead the Star Of The Town, possibly giving rise to Star Meadow by it. (A beer house name inspired it seems by the launch of the Star of The Thames - see here ) Closed 1939. Historic landlords here, plans to move it (or its licence) here
Chairmaker's Arms, Dean Street. 1878. For Sale 1897. Also one of these Lane End. History and landlord listing here
Chequer And Anchor - 1809. Location uncertain. Perhaps Crown and Anchor meant? Or the Chequers? However similarly named pubs existing at the same time is a Marlow speciality!
Chequers AKA Chequers Inn AKA Chequers Hotel, High Street. 1833. But older. Early spelling: Checkers. Land lord listing here
Cherry Tree, Dean Street. 1830? Also a doss house. Probably earlier in that capacity. Really did have a cherry tree in the yard originally, in fact a whole orchard was at one time behind the premises. Have ruled out this being the Royal Oak Dean Street that appears on the Parish Assessment of 1833. Landlord listing here.
Clayton Arms, Oxford Road. 1838. There was also one at Lane End. A list of landlords of this Marlow pub with historic timeline can be found here, post about temperance meetings held outside here, and the Clayton's slate clubs and benefit societies here
Coach and Horses
1.) West Street 1783. Landlord listing here
2.) Bovingdon Green (small beerhouse). Newly built in 1836.
Compasses, Dean Street. 1861. Originally the Three Compasses but often shortened. A post about the Carr family of this pub is available here
Compleat Angler, AKA Angler's Hotel AKA Angler's Inn AKA The Anglers Other side Marlow Bridge. Technically Bisham but more often referred to as Marlow! 1766 but definitely much earlier. Occasionally The Jolly Anglers (multiple sources): Post about Cres(s)well family who ran it for half a century here, Biography of landlord Charles Miller Foottit here , Biography of landlady Mary Ann Parslow here, landlord listing here, history in 1900's here
Crooked Billet, Sheepridge, Little Marlow (also given as Flackwell Heath) 1860, but older as licenced premises. Historic landlords / history post here.
Cross Keys, Spittal Street. An inn existed of that name 1764 but I am not certain it was in Spittal Street as it was by 1834. See post on 1700s landlord Sylvester Law's will here. Historic landlords listing here. Biography of landlord's daughter Nellie Creswell, amateur Victorian sportswoman here
Crown, Little Marlow. There was also a Crown Inn Lane End.
Crown and Anchor, Oxford Road. 1833. See also The Anchor. List of landlords here
Crown and Broad Arrow later the Lower Crown, High Street. 1691 but gone by 1830. See post on the Crown Inns of Marlow here and also will of William Dark here.. Landlord listing here
Crown and Cushion, Dean Street. 1835. List of landlords here and info on Frederick and Harriet Brookes here
Crown Inn later Crown Hotel originally the Upper Crown* Market Place. . For more info see here, and landlord listing here A post about the Crown fire and the tragedy of Susan West land lady, can be found Here
Dog and Badger, Medmenham. 1833. but much older. Landlord listing here
Duke of Cambridge, Queens Road. Can also be described as in New Road, the earliest name for Queen's Road, and as in Marefield which is the area of Marlow that Queen's Road was cut through. 1866. Landlord listing here (NB Several other roads in Marlow have been known as New Rd)
Duke's Head, West Street. On Oxford Road turning side of street. 1761.
Elephant and Castle, Dean Street. 1833. All about landlord Eusebius Windsor here
Feathers. High Street. 1686.
Ferry Boat AKA Ferry Boat Hotel, Medmenham. 1833. Landlord listing here
Ferry Hotel, Spade Oak AKA Ye Ferry Hotel. 1889. See above also.
Fighting Cocks, Dean Street. From at least 1840. Landlord listing here
Fishermen's Retreat, St Peter Street. Opened 1873 in a converted house after the licensee William Sparkes moved in from the Barge Pole in Church Passage which had been sold by the property owner and was likely to be demolished. New premises forcibly closed 1915 as fully licensed house, continues as hotel. Often given as Fisherman's Retreat. Landlord listing here which also includes links to posts about the Sparkes family.
Fountain Head, High Street. AKA The Fountain. 1833. Where the Hog's Head/The Old Brewery pub is now but that is a modern building. Became a lodging house later, briefly. Some landlords listed here Very close to Three Tuns in it's High Street location.
Fox, West St. 1833. Think this became the White Lion before 1861 but possibly with an in between period of being non licenced premises.
Fox and Pheasant. Dean Street. 1860. Very likely older.
George Inn, The - 1721, unknown street location currently. See also George and Dragon.
George and Dragon, Causeway AKA The George. New name for the Roebuck 1835. Not the same as the earlier George Inn. May also be a much earlier unrelated George and Dragon in the High Street. List of landlords can be found here Brief history of premises here Grave of landlady Annie Moon here
Greyhound Inn AKA Greyhound Hotel, Spittal Street. 1819. List of landlords here
Gunmakers Arms - 1660's.
Hand and Flowers AKA Hand of Flowers, Henley Road. 1869. But probably considerably older, not necessarily under this name all the time.
Hare and Hounds, Red Pits. 1847. Landlords and timeline here.
Harrow. 1843. Top end of West Street, probably in fact what we would call Henley Road. That this is an earlier name for the Hand and Flowers is not impossible. Samuel was in his premises at least 1841-51 and may have been selling beer there earlier too. Later references to The Harrow at Chapel End have been confirmed by us to refer to The Plough.
Hope, High Street. 1850. Historic landlords here
Horns, Chapel Street. 1831. Landlord listing here
Jolly Cricketers, Bovingdon Green. 1830. AKA The Cricketers Arms. Information about this pub in the 1800s is included in the Bovingdon Green history post here and landlord listing here
Jolly Maltsters, Dean Street. 1823. Historic landlords listings here
King's Arms, High Street, East side 1681, not same as Kings Head.
Kings Head
1.) Great Marlow High Street. 1687. Last heard of 1717. Was close to the Three Tuns. Formerly called the Angel. Will of one time landlady Joan Pomfret / Pomfrett here. She was also at the Three Tuns probably.
2.) Little Marlow.
Mint, Dean Street. 1850. Forcibly closed 1919. Historic landlords here
Nag's Head, Dean Street. 1845. See here for more on this pub including historic landlords. Election fraud case involving landlord Thomas Frith here
New Inn, West Street. 1863, 1865. One of the Marlow pubs with the scantiest trace in records. ( "Three Tuns New Inn" is the Three Tuns in West Street, it having moved from the High Street. ) In 1863 the New Inn West Street is up to let with corn and coal trade/side business. Might the habit of calling the Three Tuns the New Inn have lasted that long?
North Star, Queen's Road. 1868. Closed 1871.
Old Red Lion, Little Marlow. 1839.
Plough Inn, Little Marlow Road. Built 1854. Appears to have been built on site of earlier simple beer shop with an unknown name from circa 1825. Historic landlords and history here. (References to The Harrow public house in Marlow 1869 and 1872 have proven to be relating to the Plough, by cross referencing landlord and location information.)
Prince Albert, Chapel Street. 1838. List of landlords here.
Prince of Wales, Mill Road. Can also be described as in South Place, Mill Lane and Platts Road! It is at the juncture of South Place and Mill Road, has previously been recorded as Mill Lane, Strong Beer Acre and Platts Road/Row. 1861. Landlord listing here.
Queen, Quoiting Square. 1833. This was renamed at some point between 1833 and 1841, the Queen having been previously the Three Loggerheads. Historic landlords listings here
Queen's Head, Marlow - 1660's.
Queen's Head, Well End / Little Marlow. Address variously described. 1889. But much older building.
Railway Hotel, Station Road. Built 1873/4. Now the Marlow Donkey. Landlord listing here, grave of landlady Sarah Ann Porter here
Red Cow. 1843. Also one of these Wooburn Green. The separate existence of a pub of this name in Marlow is questionable, the only doubtful entry on this list. My research suggests the 1843 reference to the Red Cow in Marlow was a misplaced reference to the Wooburn Green business.
Red Lion, West Street AKA the Lion 1832. Not same as Olde Red Lion, Little Marlow. Sometimes called Red Lion Hotel. Image of pub and of the gravestone belonging to former landlady Priscilla Bowen here. Will of landlord Thomas Bowen senior here. Grave of Lester children (landlords offspring) here, landlord listing here
Rising Sun, Chapel Street. 1833. AKA The Sun beershop. There was an Old Sun, Lane End. List of landlords of Marlow one here
Roebuck, Causeway. 1754. Renamed the George Inn aka George and Dragon 1835. Landlords listed here
Rose and Crown,
1. "against Oxford Lane and the Quoiting Place" 1687.
2. Dean Street, 1833+. Landlords here.
3. Coldmoorholm, Little Marlow. 1789.
Royal Exchange, Dean Street. 1860. But possibly from 1858. Believe closed 1869 when John Langley was refused a full licence and opened the "newly built" Verney Arms a month later instead. Perhaps he originally intended to take the Royal Exchange name with him but decided on something more topical? Landlords here.
Royal Oak
1.) Bovingdon Green. 1794 but certainly older. List of landlords 1794 - 1907 with some gaps here.
2. Dean Street 1833. Elizabeth Bowles. Initially thought to be a misinterpretation of the nearby Cherry Tree sign by the parish assessor of 1833, partly because Elizabeth Bowles is in possession and her family also have a long association with the Cherry Tree. However the Royal Oak appears to be further up, in the position later occupied by the Travellers Friend, not quite as far along as the Jolly Maltsters. Further research to follow.
Royal Standard, West Street. 1869+ In the subdivided Albion House. AKA the Union Jack. Landlords here and more info here.
Sadler's Arms / Saddler's Arms, West Street. 1853. Landlord listing here, timeline history here
Ship Inn, West Street. AKA Olde Ship 1833 but much older building clearly long in use as inn although not necessarily under same sign. Said to have been built using ship timber, a claim found for many an old Marlow premises. A post on the Rimmel family of this pub was published on this blog here, landlord listing here, Biography of the Reeves who before they ran the pub were in charge of the workhouse here.
Six Bells, Quoiting Square. 1782. Small beerhouse. Will of landlord William Ward here. Landlords listing here.
The Star - 1867. Uncertain location. Could be the Star Of the Town below. See also the North Star.
Star of the Town, looks an earlier name for the Carrier's Arms, Wycombe Road. May well have been inspired by the launch of Marlow built Star of the Thames too. 1865+
Swan, Causeway. 1831. List of landlords here.
Three Horseshoes
1.) Gun Lane 1833. Closed 1852. Landlords and history here.
2.) Burrough's Grove. 1833. AKA The Horseshoes. Landlords here.
Three Loggerheads, Oxford Road. 1833. This, the Six Bells and Carpenter's Arms were all within a few doors of each other with the Crown and Anchor not much farther away not to mention the various pubs in West Street. Before Dean Street took over the mantle Quoiting Square was beer central for Marlow! I think that this became the Queen pub at some point between 1833 and 1841, most likely because of the coronation of Victoria. The Three Loggerheads was a joke pub sign seen elsewhere too. Loggerhead was a byword for a fool especially a stubborn one. The pub signs would show only two of them with the implication any unwitting person standing underneath it made the third. See the Queen for a link to landlords.
Three Tuns:
1.) High Street. 1695 (possibly 1683) Occupied at least two different locations- first in the High Street before a relocation to West Street but probably actually three locations as it seems to have moved within the High Street before it went to West Street.
2.) West Street. By 1833.
Landlord listings for both here
Traveler's Friend- Dean Street near corner of Spittal Street. It was also referred as the Traveller's Rest which is very confusing as there were two other pubs in Great Marlow area with that name. One in nearby Chapel Street and one in Wheeler End. THESE WERE NOT ALL THE SAME PUB. They were run by different breweries and had different tenants at the same time. The Dean Street pub curiously said to be behind another building at one point. It had an entrance by a back passage from Dean Street (the passage behind the Cherry Tree pub at the start of Dean Street which was forcibly stopped up later as it was believed to be used for criminal purposes). A post about this pub is available here and landlord listings here
Traveler's Rest 1.)
Chapel Street. 1846. Also a marine store. NOT THE SAME PUB AS THE TRAVELER'S FRIEND, though the Friend sometimes was accidentally given as the Rest, and the Rest as the Friend. The breweries which owned them were different. The proper name I have given to both in this post was as per how their breweries referred to them in Buckinghamshire Council Archives 1872 list of pubs owned in Marlow. List of landlords here
Traveler's Rest 2.) Wheeler End. 1874.
Traveler's Rest 3.) Temporary name change for the Carpenters Arms 1843 when the outgoing landlord took the Carpenter's Arms sign with him and the new landlord thought he could not continue to use that name.
Two Brewers, St Peter St. 1750. See post on the unhappy marriage of Richard (the landlord) and Sarah Bye here. Landlord listing here
Turks Head AKA Saracen's Head, High Street. 1820. West Street side. Defunct by 1861. Exact location known. Some proprietors listed here
Union Jack see Royal Standard.
Verney Arms, Dean Street. Most likely 1869. For explanation and landlord listing see here
Volunteer, West End [West Street but as stated to be quarter of a mile from the Red Lion then Henley Road feels more like an accurate address] On the Hand and Flowers side of the Road and very close to that location i.e within a couple of hundred yards. Next door but one to the Blue Banner]. Described as having been out of use for a little while in 1889. Attempts to resurrect it were unsuccessful. Biography of landlord Edward Hatton can be found here Landlord listing here
Waterman's Arms
1.) St Peter's Street. 1851 but likely older. Historic landlords here
2.) Marlow Road, Bourne End. 1858.
Wheatsheaf, Station Road/ Strong Beer Acre/ Strong Beer Lane. Same location just different ways of giving the address. 1841. A post about the Way family of the Wheatsheaf is available here
Wheelwright's Arms, AKA the Wheelers Spittal Street. 1833. Landlord listing here
White Hart 1.) Chapel Street. 1732. A post about one of the families involved in this pub, the Chapple/Chappell family, can be found here And a list of landlords here
2.) Spittal Square. List of landlords here. At end of 1830s became almost certainly the Cross Keys.
White Horse 1.) West Street. 1755+ Several other mentions in the mid 1700s, a few in the 1780s and then again in the early 1800s but without a street address. Note that in 1792 Robert Boothby founded a charity for the poor to be paid out of a building near the Market House "FORMERLY the sign of the White Horse." However there are mentions of a White Horse as a working pub after this-up to 1818 which means a change of location for the pub or as often happened a disused pub name being given to a new and unrelated premises.
2.) Property deeds relating to the Greyhound in Spittal Street which is first recorded by us under that name in 1819 say that it was previously known as the White Horse. This explains the early 1800s mentions of a White Horse with the mid 1700s references being for an earlier West Street business near the Market Place.
White Lion, West Street. Was probably originally The Fox, if not very close to it. Fox was first recorded 1833, White Lion 1861 though I suspect it was operational in the 1850s. Forced to close 1909. Landlord listing here
Windmill Inn, Medmenham. Near church there.
Note:
PREMISES WHOSE NAME IS UNKNOWN
1.)There was a beer seller in a very old building in the churchyard demolished when the old church was knocked down in the 1830s. I can't find my note referencing this premise's name but it was none of those above.
2.)There was also it seems an early 1800s pub in Chapel Street (specific building known) of unknown name which closed by the late 1820s.
3.)William Plumridge had a pub in Cambridge Terrace in 1864. Probably the one that became the hospital.
4.) There was a tiny pub in West street in the 1830s and 40s whose close location I know but not the name of it. None of those above.
5.) Small pub in St Peter's Street converted from a cottage. This pub ran 1838-52. Long demolished.
With additional research by Kathryn.
©Marlow Ancestors. If quoting from this original research please credit this blog and link here.