Great Cornard Five Bells
last updated Jun 22nd, 2025.
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Great Cornard Five Bells
West, 52.02909,0.74388
closed September 2022
opened 1930s
last owner/operator: Admiral Taverns (formerly Hawthorn Leisure)
63 Bures Rd, CO10 0HU
grid reference TL 883 402
The pub is shown on this old OS map from about 1902 (interactive map)
A friendly community free house, situated near the church (home of the actual five bells) on the main Sudbury to Bures road. The main bar was decorated with philosophical signs and had a library and piano. A separate small bar housed a Tunisian restaurant. Pub games were available including bar billiards. Open mic session every third Thursday and karaoke every second Friday. The home-made pies were legendary. A rare outlet for Greene King XX Mild. Large beer garden.
In December 2022, it was reported that the pub was on the market with a view to reopening.
Formerly owned by Greene King, more recently independent from them and selling a range of ales.
The pub fielded several teams with the usual games including chess and backgammon plus some rarer ones such as petanque and uckers. There was usually live music on a Friday.
The pub closed in September 2022 and is expected to be redeveloped.
Gallery
Brook Inn 0.59 mile
Maldon Grey 0.67 mile
Comfortable Cow 0.79 mile
Gainsborough 0.81 mile
Angel 0.84 mile
Lady Elizabeth 0.88 mileHistorical interest
Owner/operator: Greene King
1930s pub, where real ale has recently been introduced and the menu revised to give it a new lease of life. No food Wed or Sun eve.
Beers: Greene King IPA, Abbot.CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
A reference appears in the Ipswich Journal, 20 Feb 1779***, to the Five Bells in Cornard, near Sudbury
Died very suddenly on the 5th, aged 60, Mr John Polley, of the Five Bells Inn, Great Cornard.Ipswich Journal, December 1850**
An inquest was held at the Five Bells Cornard on the body of the landlord, Mr John Polley aged 58. William Hunt deceased's son in law said that deceased was a great drinker and had been poorly for some time. Hunt had been sent for by his wife(daughter of deceased) and he went to the bedroom where Mr Polley had just died…
Landlords
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(some old PO directory information courtesy of londonpublichouse.com)
(** historic newspaper information from Stuart Ansell)
Old OS map reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
