Home > Derbyshire > Parwich > Crown Inn Crown Inn

Picture source: Stewart Marsh

The Crown Inn was situated on Smith Lane. This pub is grade-II listed and has now been converted into a cottage called Crown House. Present by the late 18th century, licensees from census records:- 1851 Thomas Kirkham; 1871 William & Mary Wayne; 1881 Mary Wayne; 1891 John & Hannah Boden; 1901 William Allsop. 1899 Kelly's Ann Keeling. It doesn't show as an inn in 1911 census and is not listed in Kelly's 1912 edition so probably closed between 1901-11.

My mother was born there in 1908. She was the daughter of John Prince. I have gathered the following information as part of my research into my family history. 1904 – Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 27 Jan: “To Let Crown Inn, Parwich near Ashbourne; fully licensed; arrangement could be made to seel beer and stout on commission in Ashbourne and district. Apply Hill’s Cromford Brewery Co Ltd, Cromford, Matlock.” (An article in Jan 1905 makes it appear that George Dagg was in charge of the Crown then.) 1906 - Ashbourne Telegraph 23 Mar: "Application was made for a temporary licence in respect of the Crown inn, Parwich, and in accordance with the new Licensing Act, both the out-going and the incoming tenants appeared before the court. These were George Dagg and John Prince, respectively. A representative of the brewery company concerned also attended and produced a copy of the usual agreement. The application was granted." Register of Licences, Division of Ashborne, in Derbys Record Office (ref D1049) show John Prince as Licensee of Crown, Parwich, on 31 March 1906. Crown was owned by James Lees of Oldham and Hills Cromford Brewery. 1907 - Derbyshire Advertiser and Journal 21 Jun: “Ashbourn Petty Sessions Thursday June 13th. Mr John Prince, Crown Inn, Parwich, was granted an occasional licence for a club supper to be held at that village on July 1st.” 1907 – Sheffield Daily Telegraph 30 Oct: “Licences Apportionment of Compensation. A meeting of the Licensing Compensation Authority of the County of Derby was held yesterday at Derby for the purpose of apportioning compensation in respect of redundant licences. … The compensation awarded in the case of the Crown Inn, Parwich, was £320 and the Bench gave the owners (Hill’s Cromford Brewery Company) £295, and the tenant (Mr Prince) £25.” However, the pub was definitely open, presumably illegally, when my mother was a child, ie post 1908. The family left there in 1915. In retrospect I think my mother had a memory that related to the opening being unofficial. It was about hanging a hat by the door if they did not want people to go in.

Joyce (May 2025)

Listed building details:

House. Late C18. Coursed rubble limestone with sandstone dressings. Plain tile roof with brick gable end stacks. Two storeys. West elevation - double fronted. Central doorway with stone lintel and quoins. C20 stable type doors. Flanked on each side by 2-light square section flush mullion windows. The left hand window with external shutters. Two similar windows above flanking a tall single light window with flush stone surround. Windows with diamond shaped leaded lights. Lower outbuilding with garage opening attached to the north.

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