Melton Constable History - Hastings Arms survey

The Hastings Arms Hotel & Posting House was completed in 1882 and the first landlord was Henry Codling, who obtained a license from 24th August 1881. Both he and his successor Thomas Cheney (from 6th July 1896) were also licensees at the railway_station refreshment rooms. Bullards of Norwich supplied the beers.

When travelling to the Norwich Corn and Cattle Markets, farmers would leave their carts at the Hastings Arms and also stable their horses there for the day. A baker's cart with a heavy load is standing in front of the pub window in the above photo.

The west wing was added in 1925 whilst under the tenancy of Mr. & Mrs. Prestwood.
Norfolk Chronicle - Friday 18th November 1938

Watering the Driver
In the summer of 1955 I was rostered with Driver Lionel (Lou) Elsegood, he normally a Shed Relief Driver and I (a Passed Fireman) to work one of the Saturday Specials to Yarmouth as far as Melton and another return.
We got to Melton about 12.50. It was a scorching hot day, temperature in the 70s. We had about one and a half hours to wait for our return train so when we got to the loco, turned and watered, Lou said "Roy, my boy, I'm going to the Hastings Arms for a jar".
"Lou", I replied, "I'll join you, but just for one". "Good on yer", replied Lou. So we stabled the engine safe and made our way across to the pub for a quick one.
"I'll ger'em", I said to Lou because I only wanted a small ale and I like to be fair because I knew Lou was a pint of bitter man.
So I ordered, the landlord poured mine from a bottle, then drew Lou's pint from the cellar, placed it in front of him and picked up my ten shilling note.
Lou just picked up his glass and swallowed the lot in one go before my change was put on the counter.
I don't know the world record for drinking but if that wasn't it, it was certainly close. A matter of seconds. "Where did that go Lou?" I asked, "Ray, my boy" he replied, "The first one washes the dust down, the second one I can then taste".
He only had the two, but I recall that small ale I had, often. Lovely and cold and really refreshed me, but I'll never forget how that pint went down Lou's throat in seconds.
Ray Bullock
M&GN Circle

The above photo shows Landlord Eric Cunnell and wife Iris in the bar c.1969.
Eric Cunnell was previously in the navy.

The person on the left is almost certainly George Nobbs, who did a survey on Norfolk pubs.

Kelly's 1912: Thomas Cheney, Hastings Arms commercial hotel & posting house
Kelly's 1916: Thomas Cheney, Hastings Arms commercial hotel & posting house
Kelly's 1922: Mrs. Sarah Ann Stratton, Hastings Arms commercial hotel
Kelly's 1925: R. Harry Prestwood, commercial hotel, garage, cars for hire
Kelly's 1929: R. Harry Prestwood, Hastings Arms Hotel
Kelly's 1933: R. Harry Prestwood, Hastings Arms Hotel
Kelly's 1933: Hastings Arms Bowls Club, W. Morgan, secretary, The Street
Kelly's 1937: Richard Harry Prestwood, Hastings Arms Hotel
Kelly's 1937: Hastings Arms Bowls Club, C. Bumfrey, secretary, The Street

Henry Codling
was born 1851 at Swanton Novers and worked as a Blacksmith from 1871 in West Ham, Essex to 1881 in Swanton Novers, Norfolk there after taking on the The Hasting Arms.

Thomas Cheney
was born 1861 at Kingsey, Oxfordshire married Annie Susan Jackson and had 7 children all born and baptised in Melton Constable. He is recorded as a Licenced Victualler in the 1901 and 1911 census. On 11th September 1901, a Mr. Forster was charged 7/6d for a Trap to Binham as invoiced by Mr. T. Cheney.
Courtesy of Norfolkpubs website

Sarah Ann Vurley
George Frederick Vurley married Sarah Ann Hewson Hackney in 1896 and he was her second husband. In the 1901 census she was running the Rampant Horse Inn in Fakenham on her own, her husband living elsewhere with his father. In the 1911 census Sarah was running the White Horse Inn at Blakeney and was recorded as separated from husband. In the 1921 census she was running the Hasting Arms at Melton Constable but Kelly's Directory of 1922 lists her as Sarah Ann Stratton.

Richard Henry Prestwood
was born 1879 at Hoyland Swains in Yorkshire he married Laurina Baggley formerly Laurina Bottomley née Bellamy in 1919. Richard died on 12th August 1946 leaving his widow Laurina £2,778 5s. 10d. in his will. Laurina died on 20th April 1966, at 28 Melton Street, leaving £6,726 in her will. Richard's father was a schoolmaster and he followed his father's profession from the age of fourteen. After twenty years of teaching, mainly in Dover and Brighton, he served in the army, seeing four years of trench warfare in France and Italy, his battalion being the Sportsman's Battalion or the 24th Royal Fusiliers. He was wounded and lost two brothers in one week in the battle of the Somme. Upon demobilisation in January 1919 he entered the licensing trade.
Pre-war, Mr. Prestwood enjoyed long-distance cycling (he pedalled the length and breadth of England), rowing and sailing. He once rowed from Acle to Yarmouth and back for a wager.
Courtesy of Norfolkpubs website

Willam Griffiths
was born in 1900 and died on 13th March 1952 and his address was given as The Hasting Arms, Melton Constable. He left £1,154 6s. 9d. in his will.

Benjamin Bird
was a brewery rep who was holding the licence awaiting a replacement landlord.
Courtesy of Norfolkpubs website

I found the Hastings Arms a strange pub and I seem to think that Mother Prestwood kept it. There was a big public bar but at the end of a passage was another bar that only seemed to have been used by the foremen. They would come to a wicket window and get their drinks and no doubt taking note of who was inside the public bar. Plenty of men still went further afield, as they had in Mr Marriott's time.
M&GN Circle

If you have any memories, anecdotes or photos please let us know and we may be able to use them to update the site. By all means email or telephone 07836 675369.

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