The Crown Hotel and Crown Walk
 (off West Street)

The Crown Walk in West Street, Bourne, is a recent retail shopping development based on the old Crown Inn or Hotel, a hostelry with a chequered history. Its date as an inn is indeterminate but it was probably thriving at the beginning of the 19th century and it is recorded as one of thirteen taverns or public houses in the town in 1857.

There are more Crowns than any other among the inn signs of Britain and the custom may well have started because the inn was on Crown property or it may have been so named as a symbol of loyalty to the throne on some royal occasion, in this case perhaps, the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.

We have a description of the inn from 1847 when it came up for sale when it was then part of the Manor of Bourne Abbots estate and the prospectus description illustrates that this was a very large property indeed consisting of “a dwelling house, or tenement, with a capacious yard, stabling for twenty horses, granary, brewhouse, sheds and pig sties”.

In the ensuing years the Crown Hotel was a popular hostelry as a venue for larger gatherings, mainly all male, for dinners and smoking concerts which were popular during Victorian times and in the late 19th century it was also known as the Crown Hardwick Hotel after the landlord, Henry Hardwick, a local cattle dealer.

In later years, it was a busy town centre public house, particularly on Thursday market days when stalls were lined up along the pavement outside, thus providing a convenient call for both traders and shoppers.

The life of this building as an inn came to an end when it ceased to operate as licensed premises in March 1991 after the landlord left abruptly and the following May it was badly damaged by fire, believed to have been caused by arsonists. It then stood empty and boarded up for three years but developers saw the potential of the site which was rejuvenated and the old inn building modernised as retail premises that were opened in 1994.

The original façade with its crown motif in relief has been retained and an arcade of shops has been added at the rear making the Crown Walk a pleasant part of the town to visit. 

Many of the units frequently change hands. The explanation may be that this precinct is not entirely popular with the shopping public because it is remote from the town centre and may be missed by those unfamiliar with its location although it is worth remembering that the Burghley Arcade suffered a similar experience when first opened although this is now one of the most popular parts of town. 

FROM THE ARCHIVES

An old licensed public house at Bourne to be sold by auction by Mr W E Lawrence, at the Crown Inn at Bourne in the county of Lincoln, on Saturday the 30th day of January 1847 between the hours of 5 and 7 in the evening, subject to such conditions of sale as shall be then and there produced. All that messuage [dwelling house] or tenement calls the Crown Inn in Bourne aforesaid with a capacious yard, stabling for twenty horses, granary, brewhouse, sheds and pig sties, late in the occupation of Mrs Ann Bull, now deceased; bounded east by property of the late Mr John Manby, west by an estate of Mr Daniel Franks, north by a back lane, and south by the public town street called the West Street. The stable, granary and brewhouse are newly built. The estate is copyhold of the Manor of Bourne Abbots. Two thirds of the amount of the purchase money may remain upon the security of the property, if required. - public notice from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 29th January 1847.

The Crown Hotel was a popular hostelry in past times and apart from occasional trade was also the venue for dinners and smoking concerts which were then popular. The front was imposing, as can be seen by this photograph dating from circa 1910 when mine host was Daniel Keeton who can be seen posing in the doorway, perhaps with his wife and son nearby.

REVISED MARCH 2014
 

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