The Traveller’s Friend
This cottage on the edge of Chobham Common was, until c. 1874, a beer house. The Travellers’ Friend, run by the Mepham family, who also farmed the land surrounding the cottage and 18 acres on the other side of the road (later Heathlands). It was eventually purchased and delicensed by William Tringham, who built Longcross Church and gave the parish its Vicarage. The building was later known as Heath Cottage. It was empty at the time of this photograph (1982), and was subsequently demolished.
The following is extracted from Joy Mason’s book “CEBBA’S HAM; THE STORY OF CHOBHAM”.
Until the 1950s Chobham had four Inns in the High Street, an indication of its one-time affluence: The Old King’s Head, The Horse and Groom, the Sun Inn and the White Hart. Of these four only the last two now remain; the White Hart is probably the oldest dating back to the time when Chobham was under forest law. The Sun Inn is probably seventeenth century with later additions, while the Horse and Groom, another very old building, is now a bank and a shop. It has no cellar so did not start life as an Inn. The Old King’s Head, situated next to the grocery, was a listed building. Permission was given to demolish it and the present parade of shops was erected in its place, quite out of keeping with the rest of the street.
On the Guildford Road is the Castle Grove Inn. The Castle Grove area takes its name from a family called Le Castell who also had property in Horsell. There was at one time a plan to run a light railway to the Bisley ranges and the Castle Grove Inn was built as the station. It was converted to an Inn when the project failed.
The Cricketers Inn is a nineteenth century building placed to catch travellers entering the village from Sunningdale.
The Red Lion is also of nineteenth century origin. It too was not built as an inn but was once the home of the rector of Bisley and called The Parsonage House. Here is part of an indenture which throws a light on its history.
‘1824 October 23rd. Indenture between Joseph Snuggs of 4 Swan Yard, High Street Whitechapel, horsekeeper and Sarah his wife of the first part. The Rev. John King of Chobham the second part and Samuel Mumford farmer of the third part. Whereas Elizabeth Beauchamps late of Chobham, widow, seized in fee simple of the messuage and lands here described. She died on December 13th. 1823. Among her properties were the Parsonage House afterwards a public house and known by the several names of the Red Bull and of the Red Lion formely in the possession of Charles Collyer and afterwards untenanted together with the barn, stables out houses and buildings. Also about three parts of the barn belonging to the Parsonage House that is to say all the thrashold or floor and all the bay and buildings or killerings being Northwards from the floor.’