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Home >
Bedfordshire > Toddington > Bedford
Arms
Bedford Arms
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Date of photo: 2017 |
Picture source:
Movement80 |
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The Bedford Arms was situated at 64
High Street. This pub was first licenced in 1868 and closed in 2012. A
grade-II listed building. |
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From Bedfordshire Heritage: |
The Bedford Arms was situated for much of its
existence at 62 High Street, Toddington, eventually moving next door to 64
High Street where it remained until it closed in 2012. The countywide
licensing register of 1876 states that the Bedford Arms beerhouse was first
licensed in 1868. The register is not always accurate but this date may not
be too far off the mark as the first reference to the Bedford Arms comes in
1867 when it appears in a list of properties belonging to the Luton Brewery.
It is not clear when the Bedford Arms moved from 62, High Street to number
64, but it is possible that the move took place at the time the former
beerhouse was granted a full licence as a public house in February 1954.
This property was listed by the former Department of the Environment in 1980
as Grade II, of special interest, when it was described as a two-storey 17th
century building, timber-framed with red brick nogging (infill between the
timbers) to the first floor, and with a red brick ground floor. It had an
old clay tile roof, a gable to the right hand side, three modern three-light
leaded casements and a modern porch. To the left hand was a one storey
hipped extension and to the right a brick lean-to. This property was
formerly known as Withington House.
In 1924, when it was put up for sale along with three cottages, it was
described as "a brick-and-stud built, tiled and slated house containing:-
Two Sitting Rooms, Kitchen fitted with dresser and stove, Scullery fitted
with coppers and sink, Cellar, Coal-house, and Three Bedrooms. There is a
Front Garden, also Barn, Stabling, other outbuildings, and a recently
erected Motor House. At the rear is a walled in Kitchen Garden, and a Large
Paddock planted with several fruit trees". The three cottages, each
containing four rooms were let and produced rents of £15 12s per annum. This
small terrace was set at right angles to Dunstable Road and has since been
demolished. The property extended to one and a half acres.
When the 1926 valuation under the Rating and Valuation Act 1925 was carried
out Withington House was owned and occupied by Frederick Clarke, who also
owned the three cottages. The valuer described the property as a detached
building constructed of brick, timber and tile, with a parlour, a living
room, a kitchen and a scullery downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs.
Outbuildings were a brick and thatch stable, a brick and tile barn and a
brick and slate coach house. There was also a condemned cottage and 1.143
acres of land. The valuer noted the property looked "like a farm house" .
An article in Pint Pot, the Charles Wells brewery newpaper suggests that the
Bedford Arms is haunted by the spectre of an unfortunate ship's captain. The
sailor is said to have returned from a long sea voyage to find his wife and
child had been murdered, whereupon he committed suicide. A former pub
manager reported that his dog had been extremely nervous of the upstairs of
the building.
Proposals to develop the site of the Bedford Arms were opposed by Toddington
Parish Council which fought to retain the public house as a community asset.
At the time of writing (2015) the future of the property was still in doubt. |
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You can add your email contact details along with other ex-customers and landlords of this pub here. |
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