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Stowmarket Horse & Groom
Stowmarket Horse & Groom
also traded as Coach & Horses, Norwich Ale Stores
South East, 52.18848,0.99599
closed 1911
opened about 1866
3 Station Rd
grid reference TM 048 587
This may also have been listed at Stowupland Street. The building is mainly from the late 14th century, with 15th and 20th century alterations.
It's known to have been trading as a beerhouse by 1866. It was owned for most of the time by the Hatten family of Great Finborough but leased to various breweries including W.G. Ranson's Stowmarket Brewery and later Morgan's Norwich Brewery.
According to the 1909 Rates book, it was a beerhouse, "late temperance hotel".
From about 1883 it was known as Norwich Ale Stores. It isn't clear when the Coach & Horses and Horse & Groom names were in use.
After closure it was owned by The Dykes family who ran a bicycle shop from the premises. They also ran The Temperance Hotel.
Gallery
Historical interest
Two deserters from the Coldstream Guards paid a visit to the Horse and Groom beer house in Stowmarket where the landlord’s, Samuel McFeters, son a fellow soldier and friend lived. They were still in the house at 1.30am on a Monday morning when PC Capon aroused by their disturbance entered the beer house the three men and glasses on the counter. The magistrates took the view that there was no evidence of beer being drawn and the case was dismissed. Ipswich Journal, Feb 1875**
By the 1891 and 1901 censuses the pub was listed as next house to the east of the Queen's Head.
It was leased to Stonham brewery and then William Golland Ranson (1875-80).
Landlords
Footnote
Coach & horses became a means of transport for many travellers during the 17th and 18th cent. especially for those who could not afford their own vehicle. As regular services evolved, they soon encouraged many inns enroute to become natural stopping points for refreshments - with journeys broken into stages (about 8 miles) - and many eventually provided stabling to enable regular changes of horses. Their demise started in 1840s with the building of the railway network.
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)