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Stowmarket King's Head
Stowmarket King's Head
North East, 52.18686,0.99654
closed 16th March 1963
opened about 1660
last owner/operator: Tollemache
14 Ipswich St
grid reference TM 049 585
It's shown on this OS town plan of 1885 (larger map).
The King's Head may have ceased trading at various times in its history and had a great number of owners.
At one time it was a family & commercial hotel & posting house.
The 1823 Pigot's Directory lists Royal Mail coaches leaving the inn daily at 11am for Cambridge. Coaches also left the inn daily at 4.15pm (apart from Sundays) for Ipswich.
The 1840 Pigot's Directory lists the King's Head Inn separately as an excise office.
Tollemache brewery decided to delicense and sell it in 1963 after the then tenant, JW Gray, died.
In the early 20th century a boxing booth was within the hotel complex.
The building was demolished in 1960s as part of a large scale urban redevelopment.
Gallery
Historical interest
Thomas Pearle at the King's Head, Stowmarket, advertises neat post-chaises.Ipswich Journal, 18 Oct 1777***
A notice in the Ipswich Journal, 7 June 1800***, gives thanks for custom from William JACKSON, of Kings Head Inn, Stowmarket.
Samuel Waters, from the Swan, Woolpit, wishes to inform the public in general he has taken the King’s Head Inn, Stowmarket, which is fitted up in the most comfortable manner, and supplied with the best wines, spirits, and good home brewed beer. A good ordinary on Thursdays.Ipswich Journal, Oct 1805**
To be sold by auction, three undivided eleventh parts, of all that capital inn, known as the Stowmarket King's Head, with stables, and appurtenances…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
Closure date from the Stow licensing records.
(detailed information from Neil Langridge - and also Brian Southgate - see their book "Stowmarket, Combs and Stowupland Pubs" published by Polstead Press in 2009)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
(*** historic newspaper information from Bob Mitchell)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.