Built in 1826 of brick with stone footings, The King's Own Inn has three levels of accommodation , each with its own character & interest. In through the king sized front door, its pretty obvious that the house has true character. The two front living rooms feature many of the little details that are so attractive in older homes. the window's small panes still have the small imperfections in the glass that indicate their age and originality. At the end of a spacious hallway, typically awkward stairs wind up to upstairs bedrooms. The upstairs rooms have been restored and are a study in nooks, crannies and angles throughout. Skylights and dormer windows give a bright and airy feel to the otherwise not overly generous size to the rooms.
Back down stairs in the hallway, a further set of stairs lead to the lowest level of the house. this are is not visible from the street level. This area is a little world of its own. The area features low ceilings, exposed brick and stone and small barred windows make it easy to form a picture of the daily life of the servant classes of the period.
The days activities would have commenced early as the bread oven was prepared for the days baking. The housemaid would be scurrying up and down the the narrow stairs in order to service the needs of the guests, while the cook would be preparing a steaming breakfast. A courtyard would echo to the preparation of the horses for the forthcoming day's travels. the stables that formed an important part of the Inn's activities still exist and form part of a neighboring house.
Apart from serving spirits and fine meals, the building also served spirituality when, in 1912, the property was bought by the catholic Church to be used as the presbytery for the church's ministers.
The King's Own Inn would have been an exceptionally fine establishment in 1826 and is now a wonderfully restored and preserved private residence. A beautiful reminder of a long bygone era.
Main Text & Information Source -
"From Black Snake To Bronte" - Book by Audrey Holiday & John Trigg
