Main Street
Great Brington
Northampton NN7 4JA
Great Brington is an ancient agricultural parish, first noted in 1086. It passed to John Spencer Esq, linear ancestor of Earl Spencer.
In 1765, the first written reference was made to the Alehouse. John Blencowe was guaranteed the lordly sum of ten pounds sterling.
In 1777, Samuel Dubleton (The Elder) began his family's half century's involvement
with the Inn. One clause of his licence stated that he should not "knowingly introduce
permit or suffer any bull, bear or badger-
In 1827, George Farley ran the Alehouse. By 1941 the village population stood at 795 although it had been as high as 857 in 1831.
In 1847, Thomas Main was the Landlord. He supplemented his takings as a farmer, butcher and grazier. A common 19th century practice.
In 1854, John Casidy became Inn Keeper, also maintaining his grazier's business. The Rev FJ Ponsonby MA had joined the Spencers as Great Brington Landlords.
The late Lord John Spencer typed the receipt for the deposit himself and celebrated with the new owners at Althorp House.
The Inn has seen many celebrities pass through its doors and has been the star of many a newsreel featuring its occupants but none so liked and admired as the small girl who played outside in her home village of Great Brington, the late Princess Diana.
In 1885, Henry Palmer began a 29 year tenancy. In 1892, the 5th Earl Spencer KG PC had a 202 foot deep well dug to provide water for Great and Little Brington.
By 1906, the Inn had become a bustling centre for tradesmen supplying Althorp House and had truly become a Coaching Inn. W J Shears being landlord, the landowner was the 6th Earl Spencer KG GC VO PC.
In 1924, Thomas Smith succeeded Shears at the Inn at a time when the Village still supported a blacksmith who attended the busy stables at the rear of the Inn.
In November 1999, Susan and Peter Krempels proudly purchased the Hostelry, freehold from Lord John Spencer, along with a number of estate cottages. The previous licensees all being tenants, the Krempels family were the first to run the famous Coaching Inn independently.
Copyright © 2008-
History
