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| HER Number | MWB16726 |
|---|
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|
| Name | Site of The Bear, Speenhamland, Newbury |
|---|
Summary
Three Grade II listed buildings that were used as a coaching inn until the late 18th century
Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status
- Listed Building (II) 1220860: 26, The Broadway
- Listed Building (II) 1220754: 24, The Broadway
- Listed Building (II) 1211486: 4, Oxford Street
- Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre
Monument Type(s):
- COACHING INN (16th century to 18th century - 1540 AD? to 1768 AD?)
Full Description
The Bear Inn was a notable coaching inn at Speenhamland, which occupied land between the George and Pelican and The Chequers. It seems to have closed towards the end of the 18th century, supposedly after a murder was committed there <2>. Three buildings at this site are Grade II listed, and described as being part of the former Bear Inn <1>. Two are of 1734 date, although Money's history says that the Bear was visited by royalty in the 17th century.
Wessex Archaeology undertook a detailed historic building assessment and survey for the three buildings on the site, ie 4 Oxford Street, and 24-26 The Broadway <6>. This included examination of cartographic sources, trade directories and censuses, and the report concluded that the exact position of the The Bear Inn could not be fully determined, but was likely to have been further east. However the measured survey revealed many elements of historic and architectural interest within the properties, with evidence of of a progression of buildings from probably the 16th century onwards.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Department of the Environment. 1974-2000?. DOE List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Unpublished document / SWB10006] |
| <02> | Money, W. 1905 & 1972. A Popular History of Newbury (also Walter Money's History of Newbury). p96. [Monograph / SWB11278] |
| <03> | The Borough Museum, Newbury. 1973. Newbury Buildings Past and Present. p6-8, Map No 35. [Monograph / SWB12937] |
| <04> | Unknown - Newbury Museum. ?. Coaching Inns - Speen and Newbury. [Unpublished document / SWB13471] |
| <05> | Thatcham Historical Society. July 2007. Journal of Thatcham Historical Society. Volume 1, Number 1. p19-43 Survival and Loss: Buildings of the Coaching Trade in Newbury, Part 1 by Sue Broughton. [Article in serial / SWB147687] |
| <06> | Wessex Archaeology. 2010. 4 Oxford Street & 24-26 The Broadway, Newbury, Berkshire - Historic Building Assessment, Survey and Recording. Report Ref 58640.03. [Unpublished document / SWB147930] |
| <07> | Wessex Archaeology. 2010. 4 Oxford Street & 24-26 The Broadway, Newbury, Berkshire - Historic Building Condition Survey. report ref 58640.02. [Unpublished document / SWB148503] |
| <08> | Page and Ditchfield (eds). 1924. Victoria County History (VCH) Berks IV 1924. Vol 4. p98. [Monograph / SWB10281]
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol4 (Accessed 24/09/2015) |
Related Monuments
| MWB19410 | 24 The Broadway, Newbury (formerly Speenhamland) (Building) |
| MWB19420 | 26 The Broadway, Newbury (formerly Speenhamland) (Building) |
| MWB18343 | 4 Oxford Street, Newbury (Building) |
| MWB3464 | SPEENHAMLAND, Newbury (Place) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB1123 | 4 Oxford Street & 24-26 The Broadway, Newbury: Historic Building Assessment, Survey and Recording (Ref: Report Ref 58640.03) |
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