A fire on 15th September 1871 starting at 4 am destroyed the Admiral Vernon Inn, 2
adjoining houses and a butchers shop. The building(s) used to stand by the corner of Ide lane on the site of
the old schoolhouse and incorporated the Red Lion and also the Admiral Vernon Inn.
  Inns were often associated with Church Houses and often named, the Church House Inn, this was very likely the case with the Admiral Vernon or Red Lion. Water-colour above. The pub was known as the Vernon's Head in 1784, However a notice concerning an abandoned horse was placed in the EFP on 20th December 1787 by the owner William Blatchford. The pub was known as The Admiral Vernon Inn. In 1499, the Church was given a piece of land, another strip of land was given in 1512. The Church House was built on these pieces of land. This house was leased in May 1784 for 99 years for a 'fine' of £100, and a yearly rental of £5. A stipulation of the lease was that the 'fine' should go to the repair of the Church, with the rent plus £5 interest was to be distributed to the poor in the form of bread. The landlady discovered the fire and both herself and her husband managed to escape with their 4 children. The family were known as the Feoffees, a lease of 1860 shows their property to have included stables, a brewhouse, cellars, gardens and curtilage (an enclosed area such as a courtyard). The house fontage was typically tudor. The pub issued checks made by SEAGUE of Exeter while H. Mitchel was resident (1866-1870), quite crude 18.5 mm in diameter: ADMIRAL VERNON / ALPHINGTON (HM in script in the centre)
"5", SEAGUE below in tiny letters, all within a wreath of 15 laurel leaves and 12 oak leaves Stuart Callon Copyright ©2002 |