The Crown

Research by Joan West See Public House for list of other public houses

PRINCES RISBOROUGH PARISH

Lacey Green was originally part of the Parish of Princes Risborough, known as one of the Upper Hamlets.     Animals were brought from the town to graze on a Common that took up a large area of Lacey Green and the higher part of Loosley Row

PRE 1823

The site of the Crown Inn is shown, as a house and garden, on maps prior to the 1823 Enclosures of Princes Risborough.    It was very near to the Princes Risborough Common.

At that time there were no roads in the village.   Tracks were beginning to develop where people walked or rode and one of these was part of what became Church Lane.   It did not go past this house and garden but led to Grymsdyke house and farm

THE ENCLOSURES

In 1823 a great deal changed.

1.      The Princes Risborough Common went into private ownership.

2.      A major change was that a Chapel of Ease, linked to the Risborough church, was built.  This became the fully fledged Church of St. John the Baptist in 1851.

3.      The roads were firmly established for the first time, their routes and widths.

4.      With the chapel now in the way, the track down to Grymsdyke changed route, curving round passed the front garden of the Crown, and the track became “Church Lane.”

5.      A new road (Main Road) was made straight through the village.    The southern end of Church Lane entered onto this.

6.      The northern end of the track was lengthened and then also entered the new (“Main”) Road.

PLOTS, OWNERS & OCCUPIERS

Also in 1823 a schedule was written, every plot of land being numbered and stating who occupied it and whether there was a building on it.   Plot no. 702 was owned, freehold by Joshua Dell, born 1757. There was a house and garden on it.   It was old, established before 1823.

JOSHUA DELL

In 1823 Joshua was 66 years old.   He had married for the second time in 1795.   He had no children.   He also owned a farm, later known as Floyds Farm. the tenancy from the Manor having been passed to him by his 2nd wife in 1795. He and his wife, at some point, moved to Parsonage Farm, Saunderton.   He let the farm to his brother Thomas Dell snr & Ann Dell. Presumably the property on plot 702, was also let.   Whether or not there was beer selling there at that time is not known.

WELLERS & CO

Laurence Rostron in his research booklet of 2018 ‘The origins and History of Church Lane Lacey Green’, states, “It was purchased by Weller & Co, Brewers of Amersham in 1831”.    Whether this was when the Crown Inn started selling beer, is yet to be researched.   One thing is known and that is that it only ever sold beer and was never licensed for spirits.

1841 CENSUS   Thomas Hawes 35 publican, Caroline 35, Benjamin 12, Sarah 9, Mary 5, Susannah 10 mths

1851 CENSUS   No record.   About 1855 William West 30 publican, Eliza 28, Dan 4, George 1

1861 CENSUS   William West 35 publican inn keeper, Eliza 33 waiter, Dan 9, George 6, Sarah Jane 1 month

1871 CENSUS   Henry Parslow became the licensee before 1871, he also did farm work.    The Parslow family ran the pub until at least 1911.   In 1881 Henry aged 40, is butcher & publican. In 1891 His widow, Sarah West, 50, is the licensee, also in 1901 and 1911 until 1915

1915—1972

Mr and Mrs Lawrence Brown, took over the license in 1915 and after she became a widow, in 1924, Sarah Brown, with the help of her mother, Mrs. Ellen Janes, (click Ellen Stallwood for Ellen's life history)), carried on the business and brought up her family of five children. She remained at the Crown for 57 years.

MEMORIES of THE CROWN published in 'Hallmark'. click 1924 The Crown Inn, and, 1935 The Crown, Cricket Teas,   by Kathleen Church

Kathleen Church, nee Brown, was born in 1908.   In the above two articles she remembers the garden, the draymen delivering the beer and social life at the Inn.

1972. THE SALE OF THE CROWN

The Crown, Church Lane Lacey Green was sold by auction 10^th August 1972 for £17,950

PUB or PRIVATE HOUSE?

It was a freehold property and sold by Benskin’s Watford Brewery/Allied Breweries Ltd, either as a public house, or with planning permission for a de-licensed premises.   The Auction details gave the following description:--

GROUND FLOOR

Snug Bar        10ft 6 ins x 10ft 4ins  with Inglenook fireplace

Pantry            13ft 6ins x 8ft 5ins  with stainless steel sink with cupboards under, built in cupboard under stairs, doors to cellar and stairs.

Living Room  14ft 9ins x 13ft 9ins.  Quarry tiled floor, tiled fire place, built in cupboards.

Cellar              12ft 5 ins x 9ft 5ins

FIRST FLOOR

Staircase   Landing

Bedroom 1     18ft 1ins x 14ft 7ins   Hatch to roof space

Bedroom 2      11ft 2ins x 10ft 9ins

Bedroom 3      13ft 7ins x 9ft 6ins

OUTSIDE

Timber outbuilding with tiled roof.  WC and urinal.  Store 11ft 9ins x 9ft.   Woodshed 12ft 4ins x 10ft.

GARDENS are of useful size and laid to lawns with holly hedges.

DEVELOPERS

It was purchased by Joyce & Co. Builders, of High Wycombe for £17,950 and subsequently demolished.

Editor’s note.   This building was at least 150 years old and much to the regret of many who hated change, it was demolished and a terrace of three houses, 1, 2, and 3, Crown Cottages, built in what was the front garden.   Part of the vegetable garden is now part of the property “Black Firs” on the back side of Church Lane.   The old cottage next door, called Crown Cottage, still stands beside the new Crown Cottages!