To get the best out of this site you need Javascript enabled. If you cannot enable Javascript, please use the menu at the page bottom to navigate around the site.
Bury St Edmunds Bell
Bury St Edmunds Bell
also traded as One Bell
East, 52.24594,0.71183
Closed: 1881 or earlier
3 Cornhill
grid reference TL 852 643
It's shown on this old OS map from 1883 (interactive map).
The Bell was an old-fashioned Family & Commercial inn and General Posting Establishment which also achieved considerable fame as a coaching inn. Coaches such as the "Phenomena" (Norwich to London in 14 hours), "Old Bury" (London) and "Surprise New Coach" made the Bell their terminus. The "Old Bury" was owned by Bell landlord, George Wicks, for many years until 1846, when the railway provided too much competition.
The inn was listed in 1823 at the Beast Market, 1839 at the Meat Market, in 1844 at 3 Corn Market, in 1851 as the One Bell at 1 Corn Hill, in 1851 and 1861 at 3 Corn Hill and in 1874 at 3 Corn Market.
The Bell was demolished about 1880. Replaced by the Post Office. Bell arcade remains as a relic of a right-of-passage through the inn yard.Old Inns of Suffolk, Leonard P Thompson
Historical interest
John Green has taken over the Bell, near the Market Cross in Bury St Edmunds from Mr James Steward.Ipswich Journal, 17 Nov 1744***
John Green, at the Bell Inn, near the Market-Cross, Bury St Edmunds has taken the adjoining House, late Mr James Coppin's, and all the Furniture belonging, which is very compleat to accommodate all Ladies and Gentlemen in the best Manner.Ipswich Journal, August 30th 1755***
John Pooley, from the Fleece Inn at Wells in Norfolk, has taken the Bell Inn, in Bury St Edmunds.Ipswich Journal, 8th Aug 1772***
Ref to John Pooley, at the Bell Inn, near the Market-Cross, Bury St Edmunds.Ipswich Journal, 19 Apr 1777***
On Wednesday a fire broke out in the stables belonging to the Bell Inn, in Bury, which was happily extinguished without doing much damage.Ipswich Journal, 5 D…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(1861 census information from Malcolm Fairley)
(*** historic newspaper information from Bob Mitchell)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.