Landlords The Upper Crown, The Crown and Broad Arrow, The Lower Crown Inns, Great Marlow.

 *Updated by Charlotte November 2025*

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Marlow has had two Crown inns. When modern residents refer to The Crown, they mean the one in the Market Square, which was historically known as The Upper Crown then the Crown Hotel, to distinguish it from the Lower Crown in the High Street. The Lower Crown's original name was the Crown and Broad Arrow but this is largely forgotten now. Both were very old. 

You may see references to the Upper Crown as the inn exclusively known as the Crown and Broad Arrow but this is seemingly incorrect. Contemporary sources spelling out the full name of the Lower Crown just as often refer to it as the "Lower Crown and Broad Arrow." (For example see Reading Mercury 19 June 1786.) The Crown and Broad Arrow can be found separately listed to the Upper Crown in lists of inns at the same time, (E.g The Reading Mercury 08 July 1771) and information about the contents sale of Alfred House/Cromwell House in 1756 describe this property as being nearly opposite the Crown and Broad Arrow which makes it opposite the Lower Crown. It's usually described as in the High Street rather than the Market place which is the location of the Upper Crown. Lastly proprietors later listed as in charge of the Lower Crown can be found earlier listed at the Crown and Broad Arrow. We have done our best to attach the right early innkeeper to the correct premises. 

The original Upper Crown building was replaced but it was trading from the 1590's at least. It was later known as the Crown Hotel and used some of the neighbouring town hall building, before taking it over entirely. It's former core location is however where Boots the chemist is now. For more on the history of the two see the post on the Crown Inns Here

Remember also Marlow has had pubs or beer houses called the Crown and Anchor, Rose and Crown (also at Little Marlow, very frequently shortened to The Crown) and the Crown and Cushion. 

This post will be updated as new information emerges. All listings are as noted in original sources, including alternative spellings. Where multiple sources list an individuals name, only the first and last mention are listed here unless there is any alteration in how they are recorded, for example an additional occupation is noted. Note that some listings may in fact refer to father's and sons sharing the same given name so be sure to double check this. See notes below for more help finding your ancestors in these listings. 

UPPER CROWN / THE CROWN

The former Town Hall with clock above, had assembly rooms on upper floor which were used by the Crown until they eventually took over the whole building. 

This building, above,  is where the Upper Crown was for much of it's life. It expanded into the Town Hall next door and eventually abandoned it's original site. 

Post about  the balls/assembly here

(Market Square)

1595 - Premises owned by Richard Mathews / Mathewe.

1596 - Roger Smith, who was also a shoemaker. He bought the premises , which he already occupied. In 1610 he put the business into the hands of trustees for the benefit of his sons John and Valiant.

1617 - Edward Wooden (Wooten) bought it and ran premises. In 1620 premises sold to John Little of Little Marlow.

1636 - Owned by Thomas Drewe, a draper. Leased by Edward Wooden's widow Elizabeth. 

1650 - Elizabeth Wooden (Wooten) occupier. Thomas Drewe the owner sells it to brewer Moore. Previous tenants listed then are Mathew Cane and Bonaventure Ward. (A Mathew Cane was at the Angel by 1643) Also in this year the occupiers of the Crown benefit from a 1,000 year grant of right of access through Thomas Drewe's gateway, between two properties, into their "backside" and malthouse. The access is specified as applying to horses and carts carrying hay, straw and wood and their accompanying leaders and drivers. The origin of Crown Lane perhaps? 

1712= Samuel Sandys

1717 - Mr Richard Hall. He went bankrupt 1724. "A large inn with close behind" [Area of enclosed land]

1754 - Sylvester Law

1757 - Sylvester Law (moved to the Cross Keys) See his will summary here

1766 - Mr Webb

1767 - John Webb [Likely the John Webb who was Law's brother in law]. Then John Parsons.

1768 - John Parsons. Possibly the same John who acts as a parish constable.  During his tenure pub often hosts auctions.

1771 - Trustees of the new Reading to Hatfield Turnpike toll road recommended this Crown and the Lower Crown and Broad Arrow as a place to get a good horses or post chaises en route. 

1775 - John Parsons. Leaves to take on The Black Bull coaching inn at Holborn this year. William Faithorn takes over at the end of the year. 

1778 - Mr Faithorn. Chaise, horses etc available at short notice. 

1780 - Mr Faithorn

1785 - Samuel Chapman

1792- Samuel Chapman, landlord has died. "Landlord of the Upper Crown for many years". See grave below.

1794- Mrs Mary Chapman. Widow of the above. See grave below.

1798 - Mrs Chapman. A new coach to Fleet Street, London via Maidenhead starts from her inn this year. Monday to Saturday service.

1803 - there is a good chance that the innholder John Gosling who died this year was the occupier of the Crown as his will was witnessed by men occupying premises immediately by there.

1811 - Mr Davis (Wavis in a second incorrect record!)

1820 - Richard Furnell, died aged 39 of a sudden fit of apoplexy. Wife Dinah. Had been innkeeper since at least 1815, though not necessarily at the Crown. Dinah married secondly Richard Westbrook who took over the Crown. She is mentioned in the 1822 will of Richard Furnell's brother William Furnell which you can read here. William's grave looks like his occupation is "omnibus..." so maybe he also worked out of the Crown. 

1823 - Richard Westbrook, as above. He was originally from Cookham. Richard and Dinah moved to the Red Lion Hotel, High Street, High Wycombe. Richard's sister Eliza was a baker in the High Street. See her biography on the blog here. Their brother William Westbrook was a butcher in Market Square near the Crown.

1826 - Mr Westbrook.

1830 - George Westbrook. George is an enthusiastic cricketer. In this year he plays a one wicket match against a gentleman of Beaconsfield. (These sort of matches were all the rage locally around this time and the natives of Beaconsfield were our frequent foe.) George won, scoring 14 runs to Mr Williamson's zero. He also represents Marlow in some early team matches. 

1831 - George Westbrook "Family and commercial hotel" (also described as excise office and posting house) 2. Geoffrey Westbrook

1832 - G. Westbrook

1833 - George Westbrook also leasing rooms at Town Hall for a "card room" and associated parlour. 

1834 - George Westbrook

1835 - George Westbrook leaves the Crown. James Franklin takes over, selling up his farm Low Grounds to do so. Post Boy : Joseph Davis, cook Sarah Brown, waiter Edward Cook. 

1836 - James Franklin. Wife Sarah.

1838 - Mr and Mrs Franklin. The latter is the granddaughter of "Mrs House" who died that year.

1839 -  J Franklin "Crown Inn." Ostler - James Lowman. Post boy (actually an adult- ) John Spratley. (James is subsequently coachman to the Atkinsons at the Rookery)

1840 -  James Franklin

1847 -  James Franklin. James describes himself as innkeeper, hotel keeper, coach proprietor, and livery stable keeper.. He suffers financial difficulty around this time and is declared bankrupt in 1852. 

1849 -  Samuel Wise

1850 - Richard Westbrook comes back. Also keeps the Lion Inn in High Wycombe still. 

1851 -  Thomas Furnell. He was the grandson of Richard and Dinah Furnell above. Marries Jane Veary of High Wycombe 1852. 

1853 -  Thomas Furnell

1854 -  Thomas Furnell "Crown  Hotel"

1859 - Mr Paine. In 1865 William Paine appears as a sort of expert witness in a court case about buying sub standard wheat. In this he says he was formerly a mealman. 

1860 - Mr Payne

1861 - William Paine (age 47)

1862 - William Paine who was threatened with being run down and assaulted by two men when he told them he would not have them ill-treating a horse as they were on his premises. The horse had been exhausted by dangerous driving in the streets outside and was whipped in the yard of the Crown. He withdrew charges against them after they expressed deep apologies and said they had been very drunk at the time. The magistrates still fined them for being drunk and disorderly.

1863 -  William Paine. "Crown Hotel"

1865 - William Paine. He was elected as one of the Guardians of the poor that year. Was in the role to at least 1871. 

1871 -  William Paine.

1872. William Paine died.

1873 - Mrs Paine (widow of above).[Emma Margaret. She died in 1890 aged 70]. She transfers license to Samuel Hill [died 1875 age 42, at Oundle, Northants]

1875 -  Mrs West [Susan] 

1875 - Fire in chimney at Crown causes substantial damage. 

1876 - Advertised facilities include the coffee room, billiards, an omnibus to meet every train, close and open carriages for hire, and private "apartments" available for family hire. 3 minutes walk from the river (fairly quick walkers only!!)

1883 - Susan West/Langley. 2. John Langley. Sadly Susan committed suicide in this year, travelling to Bridport Harbour to do so. (She was born in Somerset) She told the landlady of the boarding house she stayed in that she had suffered head pain since a blow to the head occasioned by a fall from a dog cart. She said she wished to have a few days holiday because of this period of ill health and bought with her just a small bag. She had recently remarried to John Langley  but according to local newspaper reports she gave her name as West (that of her first husband) at her lodgings. A full post on Susan is available here

1885 - John Langley died in the garden at the back of the Crown, after falling from a ladder while pruning a wall trained fruit tree. A biography of John and his son are available here

1886 -  Lease went up for sale and it includes the town hall, but no immediate takers. At this point the Crown has 18 bedrooms and 3 private sitting rooms on offer.  

1887 - Henry Calf. Former station master, bank manager and soldier! Henry owned the hotel himself.

1889 - "a comfortable old fashioned house with a first rate billiard room"

1891 - (Manageress Margaret Hughes)

1892 -  Henry Calf - he had converted  rooms in the upper story of the adjacent Town Hall into a Billiard Room (former assembly room). The lower part of the town hall still houses the fire engine and stalls on market day. These stalls are now mostly or entirely butchers. Henry dies in November aged over 70 of bronchitis, after long illness.  

1893 - On Henry Calf death, Miss Hughes continued to manage premises, now for new owner William E Cole. "Every luxury of recreation" offered with lawns and gardens. Mr Cole had come from the Crown Hotel in Devizes and was a former Quartermaster in the Royal Wilts Yeomanry. He began a reorganisation of the hotel from top to bottom until it's known as a "favourite resort for well to do visitors and commercial travellers". Amongst the projects is the creation of a small room adjoining the bar, created by "setting back the partition in the bar passage by several feet". A large conservatory was added to the rear in 1894, and in the same year the old entrance through the market house beneath the town hall portion was opened up again. In 1895 he also engaged 60 rooms in private homes to accommodate an avalanche of Whitsun visitors! It was described as "World famed as one of the oldest established commercial and  visitor's season hotels (both winter and summer), in this part of England." Cole also had a booth offering refreshments during the bigger matches of Marlow F C (from 1893). They played in the Crown Meadow ground behind his premises and rented from him at £15 a year. The team change in "dressing rooms" in the outbuildings there which they also rented from Cole, at £11 7s 6d per year. 

1897 - the extent of the tourist trade done at the Crown can be seen by the fact that within 1 week in the summer of this year, a full 1,000 persons on staff outings from big London employers had been catered for there. A similar number were catered for the following week.  This does not include other types of visitors and guests. 

1899 - William Eades Cole dies in his sleep at the hotel aged 47 leaving a wife and 4 young children. It is said he died of consumption following bronchitis. His widow vows to carry on. 

1902 - Mrs Cole ("Julia" Elizabeth nee Feltham). Mrs Cole is declared bankrupt early this year, the proceeding have started in 1901. She lays the blame partially on Marlow carriage builder Charles Drye who she says sold a carriage sent to him for repair, without her permission. Mr Drye denies this and say he had advised Mrs Cole the carriage would be expensive to repair and so had offered to buy it off her for £7, an offer she had accepted. He had then sold it on. However Mrs Cole also admitted during her insolvency hearings that she had been practically insolvent at the time of her husband's death, and that she had not kept proper books (because her husband had never done so)  and so had never tried to balance them.  2. Miss Feltham (sister of Mrs Cole)  3. Margaret Douglas Ditchburn

1903 -  Miss M.J Feltham - manager I believe earlier.  2. Charles McGlynn/ Glynn

1905 1. Charles McGlynn 2. T Hull

1906 - Mr Hull

1907 - Thomas Halse Hull. He and his wife took on an hotel in Sonning  in 1907. They were allowed the licence there on condition that they  gave up the Marlow concern. Business transferred to Mrs Ellen Dax/ Mrs Stanley Dax . She came from the Catherine Wheel in Henley. Mrs Dax advertised the luncheon and teas served in the garden, the hotel"s tennis lawn and the possibility of using Crown Meadow for a ride or other exercise, as star attractions of her premises. 

1908 - Mrs Dax

1909 - A W Shearsmith

1910 - Mr A. W Shearsmith transfers to H E Scott [Horace Edwin, his wife Bertha assisted in the business].

1911 - H E Scott [Horace Edwin]

1914 - tragedy occurs when 16 year old Crown servant Louisa Maud Allen dies after a kitchen accident. Her apron catches fire and she is soon engulfed in flames. The fire is put out promptly by the cook and landlady present but the poor girl has suffered severe burns. She dies at the Marlow Cottage hospital. 1915 -Now also offers a garage with inspection pit, tennis lawn and billiard room. Landlord Oliver P Taylor. 

1920 - Mrs Oliver P Taylor takes over officially as her husband has died. This was Louisa Taylor.

1924 - Mrs Oliver P Taylor. A room with meals for those staying 5 nights or more costs 10 sh 6d a night in 1924.

1925- the Crown bought by a Mr Sidney Vereker. He gives Louisa Taylor notice to quit and she sells up most of the furniture fixtures and fittings and moves out but then Vereker says he doesn't in fact mean to apply for a holdover of her license straight away. The details are very confusing. A dispute between the two led to at least two court cases. Meanwhile the Crown stood empty. Louisa eventually did leave.

1927 - Mr and Mrs A Henderson Rutledge. "Ye Olde Crowne Hotel". They have refurbished and fully electrified the premises. They also allow an Ancient Order of Froth Blowers group to start up on their premises in this year. This joke social club was a nationwide concern open to membership by men, women and children. Members at their get -togethers have to pay fines for reported infractions of various comic rules which each club branch makes up themselves. The money collected goes towards children's hospitals. Otherwise the main activity for the male members is sitting drinking and smoking in a pub.

1931 - Mrs & Mrs S Lindsay Galloway. "Ye Olde Crown Hotel"  Has been redecorated and refurnished yet again and provides every modern convenience. Star attractions include the Palm Saloon", "separate tables" for meals , their noted stock of wines and a large car park. 

1932 George Godsall.

1932 - 33 at least Captain Edward James Keeling M.C (resident owner). Previously at  George_&_Dragon

Above, two pages from an advertising brochure for the Crown Hotel under E J Keeling. 

1934 - Keelings leave and are replaced by Mr and Mrs W L Hill who were previously at The Chequers, Fingest. Pub was refurbished internally.

1939 John O Mason 

1957 Mr and Mrs R.H Snow.  Large ballroom available.

1958 R.H Snow.

LOWER CROWN / CROWN AND BROAD ARROW (High Street)

Site of Lower Crown. 

In existence from at least 1619. 

1679- Thomas Lloyd? 

1691 - "The Broad Arrow" late in the tenure of William Hopkins. A William Hopkins had been prosecuted the year before for keeping an unlicensed ale house in Marlow, location uncertain. Now premises owned or leased by Samuel Lynn. Samuel owns several properties in Marlow. He takes out licence this year for the Arrow to be used as a common meeting house, possibly meaning one of several outbuildings to rear although this type of accomodation is usually specified in the meeting house licence. 

1751 - John Phillips (and carpenter) Died this year. Wife Mary did the brewing (on the premises, usual practice back then) and selling of the liquor. She then married the below.

1751+ William Dark (e) Will summary here William hosts "cock matches" during the Marlow Races. 

1764 - Mary Dark (widow of John Phillips and William Dark both above)

1765 - Widow Dark "Crown and Broad Arrow"

1771 -  Crown & Broad Arrow - recommended along with the Upper Crown as a place to get a post chaise and a good horse on the new Reading to Hatfield Turnpike toll road. 

1776/7 - Mr Thomas

1788 - starts new post coach service to London, run by Saunders, Smith and Co. 

1781 - Nicholas Thomas

1782 - Nicholas Thomas (died this year)

1786 - Robert Dixon "Lower Crown and Broad Arrow" Also runs coaching business - see more about that here

1789 - Robert Dixon

1794 - Robert Dixon sells up. He is apparently "going into business". "Lower Crown" . His stock of wines and spirits, 2 post chaises, 4 post beds for guests and a herd of cows were part of the contents of the pub which was put up to auction when he left. We are told the premises has "numerous bed chambers and fitting rooms for the accommodation of company" as well as a "good" kitchen, bar, larder, pantry, and cellars. Outside there is a large yard, stabling for 30 horses, standing for carriages and various other outbuildings. The Lower Crown also has a "good garden" and a close of land adjoining.  

1799 - Mr Patrick. 

1808 - William Williams stops his coaching service from here and moves it to the Corporation Arms in High Wycombe. 

1831- possibly Thomas Oxlade. He was landlord of  "the Crown Great Marlow Parish"when he had to summon the tithingmen men to deal with the unruly behavior of two of his customers who had blown out his candles and then refused to leave when asked to. The  term "Great Marlow Parish" of course also encompassed at that time Lane End, Bovingdon Green and other outlying places for certain matters including criminal cases such as this. He was definitely not at the Upper Crown in Market Square. 

The Lower Crown inn closed in the 1830s (by 1833).

NOTES FOR FINDING ANCESTORS ON THIS BLOG

Use the A-Z person index on the top drop down menu to find every mention of your ancestor here.  Many Marlow landlords changed premises and there can be other family members running other establishments. Some places changed how they described themselves - or how they were viewed- and so licensed premises listings here take in not just beer houses, pubs and inns but common lodging houses and hotels too. We mainly focus on pre WW1 listings but sometimes list later names if it ties in with research we are helping with. 

For other pub/hotel related content see the Pub related option on the top drop down menu. 

SOURCES - 

Multiple property deeds, wills and similar documents cross referenced. (The two Crown's location research is by Charlotte Day)

Dickens Dictionary of the Thames, (Dickens, 1889 edition)

Reading Mercury 8 July 1771*, 17 September 1787, 17 April 1788, 23 October 1833, 17 September 1873, held in British Library Archive and accessed via the BNA 

Oxford Journal, 14th August 1756*, 17th December 1765*, 7th March 1767, 9 August 1794, 25th November 1820, 4 August 1849 as above. 

South Bucks Standard, 21 Jan 1860, 12 May, 29 December 1893, 13 January & Jul 21 1899, as above. 

Berkshire Chronicle 4 February 1826, as above. 

Bucks Herald, 21 February 1835, 6 July 1839 and 3 April 1886 as above

Maidenhead Advertiser 21 June 1876. As above. 

Nottingham Journal 15 Oct 1883. As above. 

Bridport, Beaminister, and Lyme Regis Telegram 19 October 1883, as above

1833 Parish Assessment owned by my family and transcribed by Charlotte.

Census 1851,1861,1871,1881,1891

1853 Mussons and Cravens Commercial Directory

Kellys Post Office Directory, 1869,1877,1883,1899,1903, 1907,1911,1915, 1920

Pigots Directory 1823, 1831,1844

Robson's Directory 1839

Will of John Phillips, proved 1751, transcribed by Charlotte Day from National Archives. 

1650 Grant of Right of Way, Drewe to Moore. National Archives index. 

AGM report, Marlow F C 1893. 

Marlow Guide, 1904 & 1907 

The Hotels of Europe - (Henry Herbert & Co, 1876)

Marlow Almanack and Directory 1907 &  1915. 

©Marlow Ancestors. 

Will Summary For William Dark Of Great Marlow 1763

Background: William was born in Dodington Gloucestershire. He seems to have come to Marlow through the connection to there of his wife Mary, whom he married in London in 1751. She was the widow of the previous tenant of the Inn and personally produced the alcohol for the pub.

William Dark, inn holder*. Will proved 1763.

Commends soul to God.

Burial at discretion of his executor which is his wife Mary. She inherited any mortgages, notes [credit notes], sureties, ready money, debts, rights, stock in trade goods, chattels and personal estate not left to anyone else. Also £50.

His mother Elizabeth Burgess £20. If she dies then money to be divider between testator's brothers in law Thomas Dark and Samuel Dark. [The term brother in law was not used in the same way then as it is today. The term brother in law could mean step brother and half brother as well as  brother in law in the modern sense of the word. In this case half brother was meant. Thomas and Samuel were William's older brothers by his father's first marriage].

The same two "brothers in law" got £10 anyway as did his sisters Martha and Elizabeth and full brother William Dark, "my son in law William Clifford Phillips" and "daughter in law Mary Phillips". [Again remember son in law and daughter in law could mean step son or step daughter as well as what we consider a son or daughter in law today. William, more usually rendered Clifford William Phillips, and Elizabeth were indeed William Dark's step children].

To nephew William Dark when he reaches 21:  £10, 2 " quart silver tankards ", 2 large silver table spoons, and a gold ring set with diamonds.

David Woodham £5 to buy a ring for remembrance.

A guinea each to Henry Johnson, Susan Blac***? and Ann wife of William Carter.

£4 to buy bread for the poor of Marlow. The bread to be baked by George W***y.

Will witnesses Charles Carter and William Darley.

* He ran the Crown and Broad Arrow in the High Street. See my post on the Crown Inns of Marlow here for more on this place. His widow ran the inn after him.

To search for ancestors select Person Index option under menu.

Additional sources:

Gloucestershire parish registers at Familysearch. org  maintained by the LDS, Parish registers at London Metropolitan Archive.

For the will of another innkeeper of Marlow see my post on Sylvester Law here

Post researched and written by Charlotte Day. 

You can obtain a copy of the will from the National Archives, Kew.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are welcome to use this will transcription summary and research for family or local history purposes if you credit this blog.

So far this blog contains mentions of :

61 people from or associated with Marlow.

Crown Inns of Marlow

Great Marlow had two Crowns. One was the Crown and Broad Arrow which became The Lower Crown and Broad Arrow and then finally just the Lower Crown. This was located in the High Street. The other establishment was apparently the oldest of the two (in operation by 1596) and was known as the Upper Crown / Crown Inn and then the Crown Hotel. Neither still exist as inns. 

You may see references to the Upper Crown exclusively being referred to as the Crown and Broad Arrow but this is incorrect. Contemporary sources spelling out the full name of the Lower Crown refer to it as the "Lower Crown and Broad Arrow." The Crown and Broad Arrow can be found separately listed to the Upper Crown in contemporary lists of inns existing at the same time, and information about the contents sale of Alfred House/Cromwell house describe this property as being nearly opposite the Crown and Broad Arrow which makes it nearly opposite the Lower Crown. It's usually described as in the High Street too rather than the Market place which is the location of the Upper Crown. Lastly proprietors later listed as in charge of the Lower Crown can be found earlier listed at the Crown and Broad Arrow. So while the Upper Crown may also have been referred to as the Crown and Broad Arrow, it was not exclusively so. 

The (Lower) Crown and Broad Arrow was in business under that names from at least 1691. The first landlord I found evidence of was Mary Phillips. Her husband John owned the building and died in 1751. He was a carpenter. The liquors sold in the Inn were made in buildings put of the back by Mary. She, according to his will was  the one selling them too. He presumed she would continue in business after his death. A few weeks after his decease Mary married William Dark who became the landlord. I expect Mary was still doing the brewing. William Dark's will has been transcribed by me. It is scheduled to be published on the blog August 15th 2020.  Mary ran the inn again following Dark's death.

Highwayman Dick Turpin is reputed to have drank there but really there is no evidence for that. 

The Upper Crown had a bigger but little pressed claim to fame, as the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Byron met in person for the first time there in 1816 just before they both went abroad. Shelley had been living in the town at Albion House. At the time French prisoners from the battle of Waterloo were being held at the inn, contemporary books say, and they elicited Shelley's attention and sympathy. I thought perhaps the sources meant prisoners were in the town hall lock up next door to the inn (although that had a tiny capacity) but no, it seems various inns were used for this purpose. The poets had intended to meet once abroad at Geneva and some history books still claim that Geneva was their first meeting but friends present at the time stated that the plans changed and the pair met for the second time, not the first, in Geneva. The debate will no doubt continue to rage about this point! 

What of the more ordinary people associated with either premises, though?

Well the owner and occupier of the (probably Lower) Crown and Broad Arrow in 1782 was Nicholas Thomas. In his will of that year he left the premises described as in the High Street to his brother John Thomas Esquire whom he calls "of Portsmouth". It came with "a close or meadow or pasture" perhaps for the cattle his will also mentions, stable, coach house and backside by which was meant backyard.

Next to the inn he said he had a malthouse which a Mr James rather than he occupied.

In 1786 the proprietor was a Robert Dixon, who refurbished it that year. He hired out "genteel post chaises". He left 1796 selling up the entire contents.

From at least 1788 to the early 1800s a coach ran from the inn, then called the Lower Crown, to London via Maidenhead Little Marlow and Wooburn. The Upper Crown was better known as a coaching inn though as I will describe below. Both Crowns hosted late 1700s and earlier 1800s balls.

The Lower Crown site, above.

The Upper Crown in Market Square was sold by Richard Mathews to Roger Smith in 1596. Roger settled it in 1610 on two friends in trust for his sons Valiantus and John. These sons sold it to brewer Edward Wooden in 1617. His widow Elizabeth and son John passed it on to Thomas Drewe in 1636 but Elizabeth stayed in possession having immediately leased it back on a 60 year term for a rent of £11 a year. Thomas had sold it to brewer Mr Moore by 1650 but Elizabeth was still in occupation then too.

A Mr Hall leased the inn in 1717.

In 1735 it was bought by the Clayton family. They owned a great deal of local property and other pubs.

Sylvester Law was proprietor 1757 [I have transcribed his will. It will be posted on this blog later in August 2020], Mr Webb in 1766 and John Parsons from at least 1768 until he transferred to the Black Bull Holborn in 1775. Mrs Chapman ran the premises from at least 1796 to at least 1798. George Westbrook was there at least 1831 to at least 1834. His employee, postillion Richard Hockley was killed in an evening coaching accident while at work in 1831. The horse shied and the vehicle overturned on Hedsor Hill, but it was sadly some hours before assistance could be bought to him. Richard died of his injuries a couple of days later, leaving a pregnant wife. 

My 1833 parochial survey book describes the inn as having a skittle ground and pleasure ground and garden plus a card room and parlour in the Town Hall next door. Later the card room was converted into a billiards room.

James Franklin farmer of Lower Grounds Farm sold off his entire stock in order to change careers and take over the Upper Crown in 1835 after a George Westbrook gave it up. James however went bankrupt in 1852 so perhaps not the wisest career move ever.

From circa 1798 a "new" coach ran at either 6 or 7 in the Morning to the Bolt and Tonne Fleet Street London [which by coincidence my personal ancestors had owned over 200 years earlier!] from the Upper Crown via Bisham and Maidenhead and returned in the afternoon.

After the railway came to nearby Bourne End a coach took passengers from the Upper Crown to the station there. Even after the opening of Marlow Station itself the coach ran to it and back from the Crown for the benefit of luggage -laden or lazy customers! The driver of this very rickety coach was a fascinating man who will be the subject of his own post in the future.

Visitors to the Upper Crown / Crown Hotel as it became would have found it a buzzing place even without the coaches. It was the organiser of the town balls from at least the mid 1780s through to at least the the 1850s in the next door Town Hall assembly rooms. (Before the Town hall with it's assembly room was built Assemblies were also held in The Lower Crown, which would have been the more spacious of the two premises at the time. The Upper crown did host balls before it gained use of the Town Hall though.)

The inn was also a frequent site for the hosting of property auctions, debt settlements following the death of a local person, coroner's inquests and of meetings by everyone from the bridgewardens and overseers of the poor to political groups and the local gas company.  More unusually it was the town's early court house. The justices had to pay a nominal 1 guinea a year rent for the privilege.

The building also doubled as the town's posting house and excise offices in the early 1800s, being the stop for the mail coach.

The bloodthirsty meanwhile had an opportunity of watching a "backswords" fighting competition out the back of the inn in 1787. Despite the name cudgels and not swords were used. Fighters planted their feet on the ground and could not move. With one hand they held a cudgel, the other hand had to remain gripped to a scarf tied around their thigh and not used to either inflict or deflect blows. Those hobbled fighters tried to be the first one to draw blood from the head of their opponent. Whoever did so won the fight, and on this occasion in Marlow whoever "broke the most heads" at the end of the event won a 3 shilling prize! Smaller prizes were available for those who split someone else's head provided they got up again themselves if their own head was split! The sport was common but this is only the second time I have found reference to it formally organised in Marlow. The other time was in Market Square out front of the Town Hall. A few later boxing matches occurred out back of the Crown.

A different sort of brush with violence for the inn occurred in 1880. It had been used for the campaign headquarters of a conservative candidate in the election. His successful election caused great bitterness amongst many frustrated working class men and the Crown was amongst buildings targeted in a riot by a mob from Marlow, Wycombe, and Bisham. Windows were smashed using stones and ladders left against the building by workers putting up illuminations. The army was necessary to quell the riot. A detailed post about this riot can be found here.

Behind the Upper Crown was a large meadow which was part of the premises. This was occasionally used for displaying animals for sale during Marlow fair, for steam powered visiting merry go rounds, for early travelling silent film shows and circuses, the odd cricket match, many football matches, and grazing of the horses that pulled the town fire engine.

Note: Since this post was written additional landlords have been found. An updated landlord list with biographical details can be found here

#For the will of William Dark see this blog post here

And for Sylvester Laws will see this post

A post about the tragedy of Susan West of the Crown hotel can be found Here

AND for a full list of Marlow pubs, beer houses, inns etc see here and here.

Please use the Person Index option from the drop down menu to search for people of interest.

Post Written and researched by Charlotte Day with additional research by Kathryn Day and Jane Pullinger.

Some Research sources:

Original wills, my own transcriptions

History Of The County Of Buckingham Volume 3, Victoria County Histories 1825. 

Oxford Journal 28th October 1775 and 29th September 1787 at the BNA, London [John Parson was moving premises and the backswords competition]

Reading Mercury 19th June 1786 . Copy held at the British Library, accessed online via the BNA, June 2020 [Mr Dixon refurbished his inn] and 14th May 1798 [Coach].

Reading Mercury 1st March 1777, 8th July 1777, 19 June 1786, 17 September 1787, held at the British Library. 

Oxford Journal 14 August 1756, 14 December 1765, as above. 

Bucks Gazette 15 October 1831, as above. 

Privately held personal papers, not in public domain. [Public meetings at the Upper Crown].

Buckinghamshire Archives Clayton family papers. [Property records]

Britishmuseumonline[Robert Dixon information]

1833 parochial assessment, original notebook held by my family and transcribed by me.

Quarter sessions records, held at the centre for Buckinghamshire Studies.

Insurance record, Nicholas Thomas Innholder, London Metropolitan Archives CLC/B/192/F/001/MS11936/299/456164

©Marlow Ancestors.