Burghley Arms

The Burghley Arms

FORMERLY THE BULL INN

The Burghley Arms in 2005

The Burghley Arms, with its four dormer windows overlooking the town centre, is traditionally regarded as the birthplace of the illustrious Elizabethan statesman William Cecil, trusted adviser to Queen Elizabeth I and the first Lord Burghley. A plaque on the front records this association:

Photographed in 1999

After rising to become the Queen's Chief Minister, he built himself a far grander residence, Burghley House near Stamford. Once a coaching inn, the original coaching arch has been filled in to make way for the lounge bar entrance while a particular feature that has been retained to lend a horizontal emphasis to the facade is the fine pair of stone mullioned windows on the ground floor, each with six leaded lights and the central or "king" mullions thickened to take the weight.

The building ceased to be a private residence at least as far back as 1717 but was then known as the Bull and Talbot, then the Bull and Swan although by the 19th century is was known simply as the Bull, a sign which appears in almost every town and which stems primarily from our forefathers' love of bull baiting. The name persisted until October 1955 when it was changed to the Burghley Arms in honour of Lord Burghley and the plaque was erected by Bourne Urban District Council. It also marked the end of a major refurbishment programme of the inn over a two year period in which an oak-beamed bar area was added, a modern lounge and a renovated Burghley Room where an illuminated scroll was hung charting the history of the building.

The inn was a popular hostelry and also used as a meeting place for the Land Drainage Commissioners and various other local organisations. In 1832, the Bourne New Association for Prosecuting Felons held its annual meeting here followed by a dinner. This was a voluntary body whose members came from within a twenty mile radius of the town and was devoted to the pursuit and detection of crime before a county police force was established.

The Australian novelist and poet Frederic Manning (1882-1935) also stayed here for long periods between the wars while writing his highly acclaimed novel, Her Privates We, about life in the trenches during the Battle of the Somme in which he named his hero Private Bourne.

PHOTO ALBUM

Photographed in October 2013

The Burghley Arms stood vacant in October 2013 when the lease ran out for the last tenant and the owners, Enterprise Inns plc, tried to find a new landlord. Within days, the building began to take on a neglected air with flowers in the hanging baskets withered while plastic signs adorned the walls, notably a notice advertising for a new owner under the slogan “This pub – could you run it?” together with a contact telephone number, an indication of the parlous state of the licensed trade today.

Pub landlords are always ready to attract new custom and a novel idea adopted by the Burghley Arms in the summer of 2015 was to run a husband day care service while their wives are out shopping with the advice that he should be left with plenty of beer tokens.

THE BURGHLEY ARMS IN PAST TIMES

A trade card from circa 1912 published by the landlord, Walter Hosken, who was also a carting agent for the Great Northern Railway Company. The photographs below of a less crowded market place were taken around 1920, probably by the Bourne photographer William Redshaw whose business name plate was among those displayed on the inn wall.

The Bull Inn in 1920

Photographed circa 1930

The coaching archway leading to the stables at the rear was blocked in to provide a front entrance during the middle years of the 20th century and is seen in the pictures below circa 1930 as a meeting place for the young men of the town, waiting perhaps for the inn to open.

Photographed circa 1930

FROM THE ARCHIVES

BULL INN, BOURNE
WILLIAM LAYTON, in retiring from the above Inn, most respectfully acknowledges the favours conferred upon him, and begs to introduce as his successor, Mr W Mullett, who he can confidently recommend to their patronage.
WILLIAM MULLETT, on entering upon the above Inn, begs to assure the nobility, gentry, commercial gentlemen, and the public generally, that every effort on his part shall be used to render the above Establishment deserving their support. - public notices from the Stamford Mercury, 1st October 1841.

BULL INN, BOURNE
W Mullett respectfully announces to his fiends that his OPENING DINNER will be on Wednesday the 5th January next; on which occasion he will be happy to see those gentlemen who can make it convenient to honour him with their company. N B: An early application for tickets will be deemed a favour. - public notice from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 12th December 1841.

Yesterday morning, between the hours of one and four, the Bull Inn at Bourne was burglariously broken into and the following articles were stolen, viz., one dozen silver tea spoons, half a dozen silver dessert spoons, six silver forks and a japanned spice box. A reward of 15 guineas is offered by Mr Mullett and 5 guineas by the Bourne Association [for the Prosecution of Felons] for discovery of the offenders. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 28th October 1842.

The American wizard. Mr Lewis, performed in the large room at the Bull Inn, Bourne, on Wednesday last and his performance was said to be "truly astonishing". - news item from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 16th April 1847.

On Tuesday last, the front of the Bull Inn, Bourne, presented a novelty - two carriages changing horses at the same time, to the satisfaction of mine host and the post boys. One was that of the Honourable Member for South Lincolnshire, Sir John Trollope, who was on his return from Lincoln Assizes. - news item from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 21st July 1847.

BULL COMMERCIAL INN and POSTING HOUSE
EDWARD ELDRET, having succeeded Mr Mullett, respectfully informs the nobility, gentry, clergy, commercial gentlemen, and others who may honour him with their patronage, that he is fitting up the above inn with the object of insuring his friends every possible comfort and that no exertion on his part shall be wanting to deserve their favours. Commercial gentlemen will meet with every accommodation. An entire new stock of wines and spirits of the rarest quality has been laid down. Strict attention shall be paid to the stables; and for the posting department he has purchased good and steady horses with which will be sent careful drivers. - public notice from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 6th April 1849.

REVISED JUNE 2015