No. 18: Bell Inn

On 9 June 1832 Messrs Beesley & Beechey announced that their fly vans left the Bell Inn in Cornmarket for London and Worcester every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8am.

Francis Thompson, the landlord from 1852 to 1855, also operated as a wine & spirit merchant at this pub, and his successor John Mayo continued with the retail side, announcing in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he would be selling Morrell's fine ales & stout and Guy, Leadbeater, and Gammon's wines and spirits. On 7 September 1867 he announced that he was giving up the Bell Inn after thirteen years and would carry on the retail bottle trade at his new premises (Clarendon Chambers, at 13 Cornmarket Street)

The next landlord, William Barrett, announced on 6 June 1874 that after serving as landlord here for seven years he would be taking over the George Hotel at the north-west end of Cornmarket.

On 2 October 1880 Jackson's Oxford Journal advertised a forthcoming auction of this inn and the cottages behind, describing it thus:

To Brewers, Capitalists, and Others.
FREEHOLD FULLY-LICENSED HOUSE, known as the "BELL INN," Corn Market-street, Oxford,
together with FIVE COTTAGES and other Buildings at back, in a most commanding and desirable position....

The BELL INN occupies an important site, and contains a good bar, two large smoke rooms, sitting room, seven bed rooms, box room and w.c., and the Cottages at back are convenient, and well let to good permanent tenants.

Messrs Simonds of Reading stopped bidding when the price reached £2,300, and the property was knocked down to Messrs Hanley, brewers of Oxford, at £2,575.

The next landlord, William Powell, died at the inn on 13 April 1881.

The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes' Oedipus Lodge moved to the Bell Inn on 4 February 1892.

No. 19

The auction of this house/shop was advertised thus in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 12 April 1856 when it was occupied by the cheesemonger George Brown:

FREEHOLD HOUSE (with SHOP)
The very desirable HOUSE, No. 19, Corn Market-street, in the occupation of the proprietor, Mr. G. Brown, which comprises a good front shop, with sitting room behind, one front sitting room, three bed rooms, under-ground kitchen, and cellar. The situation is unquestionably one of the best in Oxford for business.

The shoemaker Robert Baxter occupied the shop from 1861, but on 24 October 1863 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported that he had been sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labour for diverting a pipe at his son's shop in Banbury to enable him to have free gas.

On 29 February 1868 the saddler & harness maker William Samuel Orpwood announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he had just secured new premises here at 19 Cornmarket Street. (Prior to this he had operated from New Road, and then for a short time the saddler William Slark's premises at 2 Magdalen Street.) In 1875 Orpwood had become the first leaseholder at 21 Leckford Road, but he died there at the age of 44 on 17 December 1876. On 14 May 1861 at Wytham he had married Emma Lipscomb of Godstow and Emma, who had seven children to support, continued to run the business until 1911. She died aged 93 in February 1929.

No. 20: Star & Garter

On 18 January 1806 William Gassey of the Bell at No. 18 announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he had taken on the Star & Garter Inn next-door-but-one at No. 20. In that year a Birmingham to Southampton goods waggon called here every Monday.

The currier Thomas Sylvester announced on 24 June 1826 that he was moving his leather warehouse from the Star and Garter to George Street.

On 29 April 1837Jackson's Oxford Journal advertised a forthcoming auction of the Star & Garter, stating that it measured 172 feet from front to back and describing it as follows:

All that desirable FREEHOLD INN and PREMISES, called the Star and Garter, Corn Market, Oxford; comprising a bar, tap room, and parlour, large front dining room, and eight commodious bed chambers on the first, second, and third floors, two staircases, kitchen, roomy cellaring, extensive range of stabling, with hay and corn lofts over the same, large warehouse, ostry [sic: for ostelry?], yard, good water, and every other requisite convenience.

The Star & Garter was advertised as coming up for auction again on 9 January 1847:

All that very desirable FREEHOLD PUBLIC HOUSE, known as “THE STAR AND GARTER,” situate nearly opposite the Star Hotel, in Corn Market Street, Oxford, in the occupation of Mr. Nichols; comprising capital wine and beer cellars in the basement; tap-room, bar, and back sitting room, on the ground floor; a large front dining room and two bed rooms on the first floor, and four large bed rooms over; a spacious and lofty passage entrance from the street, leading to a large yard at the back, and a range of STABLING for upwards of FORTY HORSES, with hay and corn lofts over the whole; also a warehouse, with two bed rooms over, kitchen, and wash-house; a capital dry arched cellar, 26 feet by 9 feet, and other conveniences; the premises altogether extending a depth of 172 feet from the street, and affording ample space for the erection of a Brewery, if desired.

“THE STAR AND GARTER” is too well known to require any comment from the auctioneer further than that its very eligible situation must always command an extensive and profitable trade.

On 16 June 1849 following the bankruptcy of John Parker who owned the freehold of this pub it was advertised as being up for auction again.

On 5 July 1856 Messrs Shillingford & Blake, who had hitherto been at 41/42 Cornmarket, announced:

MESSRS. SHILLINGFORD & BLAKE,
Importers of Wines and Spirits,

BEG respectfully to inform their friends and the public they have removed to their NEW PREMISES, late STAR AND GARTER, Corn Market-street, Oxford, and, from the extensive cellerage [sic], stowage, and warehouse room provided, and the facilities afforded for their business, they hope to extend their connexion and increase their trade.

Wine will be supplied in Pipes, Quarter Casks, and Bottles; and, for the convenience of small consumers, single Bottles of Wine and Spirits may be procured….

It became the Star & Garter Hotel (“The Tunnel”) in about 1904, and was simply known as The Tunnel Hotel when it was demolished with its neighbours in c.1934.