The Angel Inn, Alnwick: A History

This poster, announcing the auction of Alnwick properties, was one of several thousand items belong to an Alnwick firm of solicitors, Dickson, Archer and Thorp, which are now held at the Northumberland Archives. When I first saw the poster I was intrigued and decided to try and discover the history of the inn, as I knew that it no longer existed. Could the Angel Inn have been a coaching inn? If so, it could have an intriguing story.

 

Cockfights and Innkeepers

The starting point of my research was a search of local newspapers prior to the date of the auction. Each search took me further back in time, with the earliest being an announcement of lost property in the Newcastle Courant, published on the 22^nd October 1726;

 “Lost in Newcastle, or upon the road between that place and Morpeth, last Tuesday afternoon, a sack with three Holland shirts in it, two of them ruffled, the other a plain one, all of them marked in the neck, with the letters ‘J.G.’ whoever brings them to Widdow Greys at the Angel in Alnwick, to Mrs Smith at the post house in Morpeth, or to the printer of this paper, shall be well rewarded for their trouble.”

 This announcement gave me the name of the innkeeper of the Angel Inn, a widowed lady called Grey. Another published issue of the Newcastle Courant, on the 3^rd June 1727, confirmed the owner of the Angel Inn to be Mrs Grey when it ran an article about the forthcoming horse races that were due to be held on Alnwick Town Moor. After listing the details of each race it stated that, on the morning of each race day, there would be “cock fighting at Mrs. Margaret Grey’s at the sign of the Angel.” Prize money for each ‘battle’ was to be two guineas [£2 and 10 pence] and forty guineas [£42] for the main battle. Both of these articles, and my later findings, confirmed my thoughts that the Angel Inn was indeed a coaching inn. Margaret Grey died in December 1730 and was buried in St Michael’s churchyard, Alnwick on the 19^th December.

After the death of Mrs Grey, the Angel was taken over by a Daniel Craster. The 22^nd May 1731 publication of the Newcastle Courant announced details of the horse racing to be held and that entries for the ‘Sheriff’s Plate’ race were to be submitted at ‘Mr. Daniel Craster’s, at the sign of  the Angel, on Thursday 8^th Day of July’. Daniel continued to run the inn until late 1734. The Newcastle Courant dated the 22^nd November, advertised that the Angel Inn was to be let immediately or from May 1735. The offer was taken up instantly by a Mr. Cooper Wheeler who ran the following announcement in the next issue of the Courant:

“This is to give Notice to all Gentlemen, and Others, traveling to and from North-Britain, that the Angel in Alnwick, a well accustomed Inn, formerly kept by Mr Craister, is not taken by Mr Cooper Wheeler, from the Bull and White Hart in Newcastle upon Tyne, where all Travellers may have suitable Conveniency, and good Usage.”

Cooper Wheeler continued to run the Angel, and hosting cockfights, until his death in July 1745. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 10^th July.

After the death of Mr Wheeler, the inn was tenanted by Mr Charles Wilson who continued to provide the same services as previous innkeepers until his own death on the 2^nd June 1749. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 4^th June. The tenancy of the Angel was taken on by his widow Catherine Wilson, but ended when she died suddenly on the 30^th September 1749. She was buried at St Michael’s on the 2^nd October.

The next innkeeper of the Angel Inn was a Mr James Robertson who ran several announcements in the Newcastle Courant to inform travellers that he was continuing to provide hospitality and stabling. James was also a ‘surveyor of land’ and ran an announcement in the Newcastle Courant in July 1755:

A         L          N         W        I           C         K

JAMES ROBERTSON, SURVEYOR OF LAND

Having been brought up to that Business, and had much Experience therein, under his Father, and in his own Practice for himself, humbly begs Leave to acquaint all NOBLEMEN, GENTLEMEN &c. who have Lands to survey, lay out, or divide, that they may have such Business carefully and accurately done, and neatly planned, at very moderate Prices.

By their obedient Servant,                                      JAMES ROBERTSON

N.B. The said JAMES ROBERTSON keeps the ANGEL INN, in Alnwick aforesaid, where Noblemen, Gentlemen, &c. who please to make Use of his House, may be assured of good Accomodations

From their obedient Servant.

 As you can see, he also announced that he ‘keeps the Angel Inn in Alnwick’ as well.

Joseph Turnbull

Nothing more has been found on James, but it is known that he was no longer the innkeeper of the Angel Inn by November 1760 as the Courant yet again ran an announcement on the 22^nd November to say that a Mr Joseph Turnbull was the new innkeeper. This announcement is shown below.

J    O      S        E       P         H         T          U         R         N         B         U        L          L

Late Servant to the Right Honourable the Earl and Countess of Northumberland;

Having fitted up the ANGEL INN, Alnwick, Northumberland, with new Furniture, &c. begs the Continuance of the former Customers; and all who are pleased to favour the said Inn, may depend upon being accommodated in the genteelest Manner, by

Their most obedient humble servant,

JOS TURNBULL

N.B Neat Four-wheel’d Post-chaifes, able Horses, and careful Drivers, on the least Notice.

As you can see in the announcement, he declares that he was ‘late servant to the Right Honourable Earl and Countess of Northumberland’. This statement was intriguing and after research it was found that Joseph was a noted player of the Northumbrian pipes and in 1756 had been appointed ‘Piper to the Countess of Northumberland’. A portrait of Joseph hangs in Alnwick Castle with a copy held by the Morpeth bagpipe museum. The Newcastle Courant dated the 16^th October 1773 also reported that on Wednesday, 6^th October 1773, ‘his Grace, the Duke of Northumberland, and Earl Percy, dined along with the Justices for the County of Northumberland, at the Angel Inn in Alnwick, and next day, the Justices, Grand Jury, Gentlemen of the Law, etc., dined at the castle with his Grace.’

In addition to providing hospitality to travellers Joseph carried on with the tradition of hosting cock fights, and announcing these in the Newcastle Courant:

To be  F         O         U         G         H         T          for,

At Mr Joseph Turnbull’s Pit, at the Angel Inn, at Alnwick, on Monday the third of May next; ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Stags, four Pounds, two OUNCES the highest.

On Tuesday the fourth of May, ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Cocks, four Pounds four Ounces the highest.

On Wednesday the fifth of May, ONE HUNDRED POUNDS, by Cocks, Stags, and Blenkards, four Pounds four Ounces the highest; to weigh and enter on the Saturday before.

On the 9^th April 1775, Joseph died as a result of falling off his horse and fracturing his skull. He was buried at St Michael’s on the 12^th April, the same day that his newly born daughter, Sarah, was baptised.

It isn’t known who looked after the running of the inn immediately after Joseph’s death, it may have been his widow, Elizabeth. What is known is that the next innkeeper of the Angel was a Mr John Dodd but this appears to have been a temporary appointment as the tenancy of the Angel was offered the following year. A description of the inn appeared in a ‘to let’ announcement in the Newcastle Courant of the 21^st September 1776. The inn is described as “consisting of two large dining rooms, fifteen other fire rooms, two exceeding good cellars, a convenient brew-house, and brewing utensils, stabling for above thirty horses, a chaise-house, a garden, and other conveniences.”

In response to the vacancy announcement a local man, Thomas Bell, applied and was granted the tenancy of the Angel. He and his wife, Mary, carried on providing hospitality to travellers until he died on the 12^th April 1784. He was laid to rest at St Michael’s on the 15^th April. Mary, his widow, continued as innkeeper. By November 1787, a ‘to let’ announcement appeared in the Newcastle Courant for someone to take over the tenancy as from the 12^th May 1788. Research has failed to find anything concerning who took over the tenancy in 1788 but an announcement in the Newcastle Courant dated the 5^th June 1790 shows “The creditors of Mr Robert Smart ……. are requested to meet at the house of Andrew Henderson, known by the sign of the Angel, in Alnwick.” Mr Henderson may well have taken the tenancy as from May 1788 but research has failed to confirm this. Various announcements in the Courant record that he was still the innkeeper in July 1791.

The next known innkeeper was a Thomas Salkeld but the date when he took over isn’t known. Research has found an announcement in the Courant dated the 14^th March 1795, which states that there will be a public auction “at the house of Mr Thomas Salkeld, the Angel Inn, Alnwick.” The Courant carried further announcements in the years to follow showing that Thomas was the Angel’s innkeeper until George Coxon took over in 1805. The Newcastle Courant dated the 6^th July of that year announced that he had taken over the Angel Inn “lately occupied by Mr Thomas Salkeld.” The announcement went on to say “that he assures those who may favour him with their support that no endeavour shall be wanting on his part to render the accommodation agreeable.” George Coxon continued to be the licensee of the Angel until Whitsun, 1814 when he took over the nearby Star Inn. He placed an announcement in the 1^st June 1814 issue of the London Courier and Evening Gazette in which he thanked clients and friends for their custom whilst he occupied the Angel Inn.

Edward Cummings

An auction announcement in the Tyne Mercury, Northumberland and Durham and Cumberland Gazette, published on the 16^th May 1815, tells us the name of the owner of the Angel Inn at this time. He was an Alnwick merchant called James Elder who had earlier been declared bankrupt, hence the sale of his property and goods. The second sale lot was the Angel Inn and the announcement read; “Lot 2^nd. All that well frequented inn adjoining Lot 1, called the Angel Inn, now in the occupation of Mr. Edward Cummings, under a lease for seven years from Whitsuntide 1814.” The inn was described as “consisting of three parlours, a kitchen and a bar on the ground floor, with a cellar below part of the same, a dining room, a large pantry, four lodging rooms on the first floor and five lodging rooms on the attic storey. Also a brew house, five stables with hay and corn lofts above, a yard and a large building formerly used as a cock pit and now partly fitted up as a stable.”

Edward Cummings purchased the inn for the sum of £1005. With the purchase he became the owner as well as the innkeeper of the Angel Inn. It is known from the Dickson Archer and Thorp collection that Edward Cummings had borrowed money to effect the purchase, including borrowing £600 by way of a mortgage from a Joseph Nicholson.

A town map of Alnwick by John Wood, published in 1827, clearly shows the location of the Angel Inn, Edward’s new property, on the town’s Fenkle Street. A portion of the map is shown below.

In addition to the inn, Edward was also one of the proprietors of a coach service known as ‘The Wonder Coach’ which ran between Berwick and Newcastle on a daily basis.

Edward continued to own and run the Angel until his death in June 1838, he was buried in St Michael’s churchyard on the 19^th June. William Gibb, one of Edward’s executors and also an agent for Edward’s bank, placed an announcement in the Newcastle Journal on the 21^st July 1838 that the Angel Inn was to be let with immediate effect. Applications had to be submitted to Mr Gibb by the 24^th July. The successful applicant was George Adcock who previously worked as a cook at the Queen’s Head Inn, Newcastle. George ran the Angel until May 1840. The Newcastle Journal, published on the 7^th March, announced that the proprietor of the Angel Inn, Mr John Clark was seeking a new tenant to take over the inn at Whitsuntide.

Auctions and Bids

This new tenant was a local man called William Archbold, as confirmed by both the 1841 and 1851 Census records. William continued to run the Angel until his death on the 10^th January 1853. He was buried in St Michael’s churchyard on the 12^th January. His widow, Elizabeth, continued as innkeeper until a William Elliott took over circa September 1855.

William Elliot was taken to court in March 1856, as the Alnwick Mercury dated 1^st April records “William Elliott of the Angel Inn, Alnwick, was fined thirty shillings (£1 – 50 pence) for selling beer in his house before half past 12 o’clock in the forenoon of Sunday, the same not being as refreshment to travellers.” Looking at the 1861 Census, it is found that William was still the innkeeper of the Angel. Intense research has failed to find any further information between 1861 and 1869, it is possible that William Elliott continued as innkeeper of the Angel.

The Alnwick Mercury, published on the 15^th May 1869, announced that John White, previous the innkeeper of the nearby Half Moon Inn, had taken over the tenancy of the Angel. In the following month the Angel Inn, the Angel Brewery and two other properties were put up for auction. The auction poster confirmed that John White was the innkeeper of the Angel. The auction was held on the 23^rd June at the nearby Star Inn. The successful bidder for both the inn and the brewery was a local man called William Patterson. He paid £605 for the Angel Inn and £555 for the Angel Brewery. Mr Patterson retained John White as the innkeeper. December 1873 saw various newspapers announcing that the Angel Inn and brewery were to be let again and applications were to be submitted to his solicitors, Messrs Dickson of Dickson Archer and Thorp. The successful applicant was the current innkeeper, John White.

Landlords and Landladies

February 1876 saw the Angel Inn and Brewery once more put up for sale. The Alnwick Mercury published on the 12^th February announced that both were to be sold by private contract. Offers in writing were to be received by W. & W. Dickson, Solicitors, by the 26^th February. The new owner of the Angel was a Ralph Watson of Morpeth. By Whitsuntide, the Angel had a new innkeeper called Mary Ann Ross. She had replaced John White who had moved to the Blue Bell Inn. However, Mary Ann did not stay long, in May 1878, the licence was transferred from her to Charles Crawford, who had been the innkeeper of the Mason’s Arms.

On the 4^th October 1879, Charles found himself in front of the Alnwick magistrates, the charge against him was “permitting drunkenness on his licensed premises on Wednesday, 3^rd September last.” After hearing the evidence, the magistrates found the case proven and Charles was fined £5 and ordered to pay costs. Orders were also given that his licence should be endorsed.

Ralph Watson, the owner of the Angel, died on the 12^th May 1879. His two sons, Ralph and George William Watson were his executors and eventually they put the Angel up for auction once more. The Alnwick Mercury published on the 8^th January 1881 carried an announcement that the Angel was to be sold by public auction on the 13^th January. The inn was described as “consists of a large bar, two rooms, two kitchens and other conveniences on ground floor, with six good rooms above. Connected therewith is very extensive cellarage and ample stabling.” The successful bidder and new owner of the Angel was George Stott Smart, a master brewer and wines and spirits merchant who had premises on Clayport Street.

By the 12^th May 1881, the Angel had yet another change of innkeeper, his name was James Gowenlock and his tenure was for four years. In the 21^st March 1885 issue of the Alnwick Mercury, George Smart announced that he was seeking a new innkeeper.

The successful applicant and new innkeeper was John Forster who took over on the 12^th May. The first mention of John Forster as the Angel’s licensee was in the Alnwick Mercury dated the 11^th July 1885 which reported on a court case against a Thomas Wakenshaw who had refused to leave the Angel when asked to do so by John Forster. It was alleged that Wakenshaw had drunk twenty five glasses of ale. Wakenshaw was found guilty and fined twenty shillings (£1). If he failed to pay his fine he was to serve fourteen days in prison.

Watered Whiskey

It is not known how long John Forster remained at the Angel but at some stage a Robert Wilson became the landlord and remained as such until William Anderson took over. The transfer of licence between Wilson and Anderson was granted by the magistrates on the 3^rd August 1889.

The Morpeth Herald newspaper dated the 25^th October 1890 revealed that William Anderson had been in front of the Alnwick magistrates on the 18^th October. The charge against him was that on the 23^rd September 1890, he sold watered down whisky. Reading the report, it would appear that there had been some concerns that this had being going on for some time. The report states ‘William Anderson, innkeeper, Angel Inn, Alnwick, was summoned for selling one pint of whisky which was adulterated with 30.3% underproof of water to Police Superintendent Rutherford’. The report goes on to say that Anderson offered the whisky from a bottle but the superintendent requested that it was to be sold from the barrel. When given the whisky, for which he paid two shillings for (10 pence), Superintendent Rutherford told Anderson that it was going to be sent for analysis. He then divided the whisky into three, one part was given to Anderson, one part retained by Rutherford and the third part was sent to the county analyst. The analysis proved that the whisky had been watered down by 30.7%. The charge was proven with Anderson fined twenty shillings (£1) and ordered to pay costs of ten shillings and sixpence (52¹/₂ pence) and the analyst’s fee, also ten shillings and sixpence. During his appearance in court, Anderson told the magistrates “I have not taken over £3 pound a week, so I cannot do a very big trade. In fact, I am leaving the house through that.”

It would appear that Anderson left the Angel soon after with his replacement being a Robert Anderson. The 1891 Census confirms that Robert was indeed the Angel’s innkeeper as does an entry in the 1894 edition of Kelly’s Directory for Northumberland.

At an unknown date a John Wright became the landlord of the Angel and at the Alnwick Petty Sessions held on the 2^nd May 1896, the licence was transferred to a James Armstrong who was described as a miner from Radcliffe.

A Final Chapter

When George Smart, the Angel’s owner, died on the 23^rd January 1895 his widow, Jane Ann, became the owner. In addition to the Angel Inn, Jane Ann Smart also owned the Robin Hood Inn which was also on Fenkle Street. In September 1899, she applied to the Alnwick Brewster Sessions for the licences of the Angel Inn and the Robin Hood Inn to be removed and merged into one and to be granted to the premises immediately adjoining the Robin Hood. The reasons that she gave was that she wished to provide a small hotel to cyclists and tourists to Alnwick who could not afford to stay at the better class hotels in Alnwick. Despite objections from a number of people, including the owners of the nearby Nag’s Head Hotel and the Star Hotel, the magistrates granted Jane Ann’s application.

Due to Jane Ann’s plans, the Angel Inn closed its doors for the very last time sometime in 1900 and ended over 200 years as a coaching inn.

 

This piece has been researched and produced by a volunteer working on the Dickson, Archer and Thorp Project. We would like to thank him for his work.