A great place to eat drink and stay
History
History of the Bentley Brook Inn (as far as we know it)
History of the Bentley Brook Inn (as far as we know it)
This fine old building with its great charm, character and atmosphere was originally a
medieval farmhouse. It’s near neighbour was a fortified manor house, with five square
towers and curtain walls. In the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century this was the
home of a yeoman farmer and Lord of the Manor, one Thomas Beresford and his wife
Agnes.
medieval farmhouse. It’s near neighbour was a fortified manor house, with five square
towers and curtain walls. In the late fourteenth and early fifteenth century this was the
home of a yeoman farmer and Lord of the Manor, one Thomas Beresford and his wife
Agnes.
Sometime about 1805 the mainly wattle and daub farm building that is now the Bentley
Brook was improved by the addition of the main half timbered gable end. By 1852 the
building, still thatched was one of two farms that belonged to the same estate that had
manorial rights. It was known as Bank Top and the other was and is the present Alders
farm together they measured about 250 acres.
Brook was improved by the addition of the main half timbered gable end. By 1852 the
building, still thatched was one of two farms that belonged to the same estate that had
manorial rights. It was known as Bank Top and the other was and is the present Alders
farm together they measured about 250 acres.
They were sold separately, at auction, on Friday 13 August 1852 at the Green Man Inn,
Ashbourne. The notice of sale suggested "To any gentleman desirous of establishing a
genteel residence in the vicinity of the celebrated Watering Places of Derbyshire, the
property offers a most desirable opportunity for investment". This was indeed what
happened a further extension was added, the thatch removed and the present slate roof
built over the existing frames. Regrettably Alders Farm was the one that kept the Lordship
of the Manor.
Ashbourne. The notice of sale suggested "To any gentleman desirous of establishing a
genteel residence in the vicinity of the celebrated Watering Places of Derbyshire, the
property offers a most desirable opportunity for investment". This was indeed what
happened a further extension was added, the thatch removed and the present slate roof
built over the existing frames. Regrettably Alders Farm was the one that kept the Lordship
of the Manor.
The one remaining tower can still be seen
from our car park as part of Cherry
Orchard Farm, just across the road from
St Edmunds church where for centuries
the premier line of the Beresford family
were buried. Thomas took several of his
sons and with his retainers formed a full
troop of 40 horses to fight with King
Henry V at Agincourt. There is a fine, if
macabre, monument to him in the church.
from our car park as part of Cherry
Orchard Farm, just across the road from
St Edmunds church where for centuries
the premier line of the Beresford family
were buried. Thomas took several of his
sons and with his retainers formed a full
troop of 40 horses to fight with King
Henry V at Agincourt. There is a fine, if
macabre, monument to him in the church.
When the Allingham family bought the property in 1977, there were only three acres of
land left. The story goes that the adjacent five-acre field had been lost on the turn of a card.
The Allingham’s were licensees for 27 years before selling to Ray and Carolyn Cork in
December 2005. The Inn was completely restored and refurbished during 2006 and 2007.
land left. The story goes that the adjacent five-
December 2005. The Inn was completely restored and refurbished during 2006 and 2007.
The Bentley Brook flows through a field below the Inn and was described by Charles Cotton
in his continuation of ‘The Compleat Angler’ (1676) as a pretty river “full of very good
Trout and Grayling”.
in his continuation of ‘The Compleat Angler’ (1676) as a pretty river “full of very good
Trout and Grayling”.
© Bentley Brook Inn 2009
Registered in England & Wales number: 5654892