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| HER Number | MWB16727 |
|---|
| Record Type | Building |
|---|
| Name | The Chequers, Speenhamland, Newbury |
|---|
Summary
Grade II listed coaching inn of several periods of build, still a hotel in the 21st century
Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status
- Listed Building (II) 1290045: CHEQUER'S HOTEL
- Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre
Other Statuses and Cross-References
Monument Type(s):
- COACHING INN (18th century to Late 19th century - 1751 AD? to 1900 AD?)
- PLAQUE (Early 21st century - 2023 AD to 2023 AD)
Full Description
The listed building description for this complex suggests four builds, representing piecemeal redevelopment of sections of the front range of the former Chequers Inn and the acquisition of adjoining properties <1>. The Chequers, once almost as renowned as The Pelican <2>, retains some old walling including a timber-framed wall on its eastern side <3>.
West Berkshire Museum has photographs showing the frontage of the hotel in the mid 20th century, the Frith photograph also showing the Austin Works and Garage at 23 Oxford Street opposite <9>.
In 2023 Newbury Town Council erected a 'Blue' Plaque to commemorate Thomas Hardy: the hotel is mentioned in his novel Jude the Obscure as a favourable place to stay <10>.
Sources and further reading
| --- | Wilding, K and Harris, S. Public Houses, Inns & Taverns of Berkshire. https://pubwiki.co.uk/Berkshire/. 18/12/2013. Newbury, Chequers Hotel. [Website / SWB148574]
https://pubwiki.co.uk/Berkshire/ (Accessed 08/02/2021) |
| --- | Long, R. 1996. Ancient Berkshire Inns and their Stories. p60. [Monograph / SWB149511] |
| --- | Armour Heritage. 2021. Swallow Chequers Hotel, 6-8 Oxford Street, Newbury, West Berkshire - Heritage Statement. 2021 WBC Network. [Unpublished document / SWB150123] |
| <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 [Unpublished document / SWB10006] |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). p96-7. [Monograph / SWB11278] |
| <03> | The Borough Museum, Newbury. 1973. Newbury Buildings Past and Present. p6-8, 95, Illust p111, Map No 36. [Monograph / SWB12937] |
| <04> | Unknown - Newbury Museum. ?. Coaching Inns - Speen and Newbury. [Unpublished document / SWB13471] |
| <05> | Tyack, G, Bradley, S and Pevsner, N. 2010. The Buildings of England (Berkshire). p405. [Monograph / SWB147855] |
| <06> | 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] |
| <07> | 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) |
| <08> | Davis, Cornelius. 1849. Davis' Ten Miles round Newbury, 1849. Ref No 39 'Chequers Inn'. [Map / SWB13949] |
| <09> | Museum Curator. Newbury Museum Accession Records (West Berkshire Museum since 1998). 2022 WBC Network. NEBYM:2000.20.174; Frith.NBRY.35. [Unpublished document / SWB14452] |
| <10> | 2016. Newbury Town Council. 'Blue' Plaque. [Website / SWB149145]
http://www.newbury.gov.uk (Accessed 03/01/2017) |
Related Monuments
| MWB3464 | SPEENHAMLAND, Newbury (Place) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB1898 | Swallow Chequers Hotel, 6-8 Oxford Street, Newbury, West Berkshire - Heritage Statement (Ref: Project Ref: AH1294) |
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