History of Marlborough Head (HT)
There is speculation that there has been a public house on this site since 1500 but probably under a different name. Parts of the current building date back to the 17th Century or earlier. A spine beam in the room to the left of the main door has lamb’s tongue chamfer stops, which would be consistent with such a date and the first floor may have been jettied out over the road.
Originally it was timber framed with sash windows. Then a brick façade was placed on the front of the building, including a fake second storey which had no structure behind it. This was done in the 18thor 19thcentury and was probably an attempt to make the building more upmarket and in keeping with the local coaching inns in the town.
In the early 20th Century this façade was removed. A cross-wing was added at the east end with timber-framing in the gables and a cottage style front with dormer windows in the tiled gable roof was added along with new windows on the ground floor. A large flat-roofed rear extension was also added.
An old drawing shows a previous extension on the same site which may have been the billet for the officers of the nearby barracks. According to the historian Benton, the inn and neighbouring buildings were previously partly connected by cellars, which might have extended to form barracks below ground.
In recent times the building has been completely refurbished inside, but has retained its original character. It is not listed by Heritage England, but is on the District Council’s local list of buildings of interest and is definitely worth a visit.
