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Summary

Grade II listed inn suggested to be of 18th century date, although also associated with the Second Battle of Newbury of 1644

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1290780: BLUE BOAR INN - ERROR IN NAME (NO LONGER CURRENT)

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (III): Map No 18 10/125 Blue Boar Inn
  Probably C.18. Colourwashed brick with thatched and tiled roof and brick stacks. 2S. Casements, some with leaded lights. Three window front. Gabled porch. Low wing on right.

Monument Type(s):

• INN (18th - Early 20th century - 1701 AD? to 1938 AD?)

Full Description

The Crab (formerly known as The Blue Boar Inn) is a Grade II listed building of painted brick with a thatched roof, described as being 18th century in date <1><2>. It is located in a relatively isolated position on the south side of North Heath, on the road to Wantage.

A blue statue of a seated boar is visible in historic <3> and modern photographs on an external plinth next to the chimney breast, although not mentioned in the listed building descriptions. Local legend associates the blue boar with the Parliamentary army during the Second Battle of Newbury; on 26th October 1644, the evening before the battle, Sir William Waller led his men on a long flanking march to the north of Newbury passing through North Heath where they camped for the night. It is suggested that the statue was brought by some of Cromwell's men from Yorkshire, and was left behind at the inn <4>.

The Blue Boar Inn is named on historic Ordnance Survey mapping from the First Edition of 1880 <5> through to the Third Edition of 1912. It is also shown on the Fifth Edition of 1975, with the suffix PH. As well as the inn itself, several outbuildings are shown behind it, including a long range adjacent to the Wantage Road. Historical pub research indicates that the site was occupied by a baker and shopkeeper in 1847 (from the Post Office directory) <6>.

The Blue Boar group of buildings is shown schematically on the early 19th century Ordnance Survey Drawing <7> but is less clearly marked on Rocque's 1761 map <8>.

The name was changed from The Blue Boar to The Crab at Chieveley in c2004 when the site was redeveloped with several guest suites and a restaurant specialising in seafood.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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