The Romance of Essex Inns

Spur Books. Very Good. 1974. Card Cover. 5.5" By 8.5" Tall' 0902875507 177pp 8.5" x 5.5" illus. FOREWORD. The inns mentioned in this book are those that have given me pleasure on account of their history, their architecture or simply because of the good company I have enjoyed in them. I have tried to be as accurate as possible, but this is difficult when the subjects are for ever changing in appearance due to the efforts of the brewers or disappearing entirely due to the efforts of speculative builders. Even as I write the well-known Bell in Upminster is being demolished to make way for shops. The writer about inns is a thwarted man. He spends days searching for documents that, when found, provide little information of interest to the general reader. Unlike churches, very few inns have recorded histories. In some cases the brewers have been helpful, but I was astonished to learn that one firm had actually lost its records ! The final typescript version of this book suffered a similar fate when in the hands of a local printer. The loss caused difficulties and delays and made the task of Letchworth Printers Ltd. much more difficult. I wish to thank them for their patience and help and also for allowing me to reprint the first six chapters of this book, which appeared originally in their admirable magazine The Essex Countryside. Thanks must also be given to all landlords who made my researches a pleasure; to Mr. Stansfield, of the Ind Coope brewery, Romford, for technical help on brewing; to authors who so readily allowed me to quote from their works; to Mrs. R. Burton for help in preparing the typescript; and to Mr. F. G. Dove for patiently correcting the proofs. I must also thank all those who have sent me information. This has been most welcome, but I am still eager for more, since every scrap helps to fill up the enormous gaps in our knowledge of Essex inns. .