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The Barley Mow Tilford
The History of the Barley Mow - Tilford
The building that is now the Barley Mow was built in about 1763. It was joined onto the older cottage, now the left-hand side of Tilford Green Cottages, which dates from 1600. The two cottages share a chimney stack which has the date 1763 upon it, and the party wall mostly of wattle & daub between the two buildings, is very complex with inglenook fireplaces and recesses on both floors and both sides. There is a "priest's hole" type cavity in between the two constructions.
The first mention of the property is in the Court Rolls for 1768 when Stephan Salmon purchased it from William Pound. He was described as a victualler and it is probable that he was trading from the property from the beginning. |
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It was sold to Thomas Tilbury in 1780 and he passed the property to his son of the same name. The Tilburys were a family of builders and they became well known in the area with descendants living in Tilford - some still using The Barley Mow to this day! A Richard Jeffrey was listed as licensee in 1790 showing that the premises were used as an ale house at that time. |
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The name "Barley Mow" first appears in the Register of Ale Houses, Inns and Victualling Houses in 1822 when Tilford's famous cricketer, Billy Beldham, took over as the Licenced Victualler. His portrait hangs in the alcove at The Barley Mow , and the original hangs in the long room at Lords' Cricket Ground. |
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On April 16th 1888 The Barley Mow was offered as a "Fully Licenced Public House For Sale". There is a copy of the sale poster in the pub. The Barley Mow is described as consisting of:
Capital cellars in the basement, Ground Floor - Parlour, Taproom, Bar and Bar Parlour, Pantry, Large kitchen with oven and copper. First Floor - A Large Club Room & Four Bedrooms. Timber built and tiled stables, Woodhouse and Coachhouse. Large Productive garden leading down to the River Till. |
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The Barley Mow has changed very little through time. Real Ales, kept in the cellar are still served by handpump, and the walls contain much of the history of Tilford and the Pub.
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Cricket is played every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from April to September and photographs of the Tilford Cricket Club in years past can be seen adorning the walls of the pub, as can the famous I'Anson Cup which was won by the Club three years in succession to win outright in 1908, 1909, and 1910. The Barley Mow is the clubhouse of the Tilford Cricket Club. |
The Barley Mow - depicting the most typical of English scenes has been used in many advertising campaigns: British Airways, American Airlines, Rover Cars, Yardley's Blazer aftershave, to name but a few. It has also been used in many TV productions, the most famous being the BBC's "England Their England" made in 1974, and more recently Poirot, and the Hale & Pace show. The Hollywood blockbuster, "Gladiator" was filmed in the nearby Bourne Woods and the Barley Mow hosted many of the cast and crew.
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The present landlord is Charles Barton who has been a regular at the pub since 1969 and who describes the pub as "the hub of his universe". The Barley Mow continues to be run as a busy and well loved pub - frequented by people from all walks of life, from travellers passing through, to its "locals". Watching the cricket with a pint, leaning on the wall outside in the summer, to the warm glow of the open log fires and a glass of mulled wine in the winter - it remains one of life's constants. |
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© 2011 The Barley Mow -Tilford. All rights reserved. |