Kings Arms Inn
12-14 Stricklandgate and 16-22 Stricklandgate
Mentioned in "Kirkbie-Kendal, Fragments collected relating to it's ancient Streets and Yards; Church and Castle; Houses and Inns", John F Curwen, 1901 p274-283
What a host of associations are conjured up by the one word “inn.” How they come crowding upon us from all sources, coaching houses and ancient hostelries, with the thousand and one memories of the famous men who have frequented them.
In the earlier days, when communication between different parts of the country was difficult, and travellers were few, it is probable that there existed no great number of houses of entertainment. The hospitality of the abbey, and that of the neighbouring castle, sufficed in most cases for the needs of the times, or at least so far as the rural districts were concerned. But gradually as commerce and general inter-communication increased, there sprung up inns which laid themselves out for the reception of those who journeyed abroad : merchants, pilgrims, and persons of no fixed abode. Hither came also all that motley assemblage who were from time to time allowed within its precincts ; morris-dancers*, mummers, jugglers, musicians, and ballad-singers, all hopeful of gathering largesse from the guests. For travellers and pilgrims in olden times were not a doleful folk. On the contrary, most endeavoured to make their journeys as agreeable, and as much like a holiday, as possible.
• Says Dr. Johnson The Morris-Dance, in which hells are jingled, or staves or swords clashed, was learned from the Moors, and was probably a kind of Pyrrhic, or military dance.”
Since the decadence of the “ White Lion,” this inn has been the town’s principal hostelrie, an inn whose history is inseparably connected with many of Kendal’s most important events, and whose landlords have so frequently taken the mayoralty chair. The date of its erection is not known, but its external facade and picturesque interior seem to have been but little altered. The house is well described by the author of A Fortnight's Ramble as being “a large, old, straggling inn, with two galleries leading to the bedrooms,” and, says he.
“ I would advise you to make a cross to know which to go by.” Or again, by the author of The Strange Adventures of a Phaeton, who speaks of the laughter that shook the coffee room. A curious feature of the coffee rooms of to-day.
As a posting house, there is none of the stir now, in these days of railway and electric transmission of news, as was created by the dashing up of the “Royal Mail,” with its fine team of greys, its smart guard, and bluff-weather-beaten “whip,” to say nothing of the fluttering of dripping waterproofs, the pulling asunder of soaked plaids, and the drying of wet and gleaming cheeks that were red with the rain. And within there is now none of that bustle, such as used to be, when a thousand servants seemed to be scampering about to assist and prepare a steaming and fragrant banquet by the time that warmer and dryer clothes could be put on. Oh, it was a commotion and a welcome indeed to arrive in those days at this big, warm, comfortable, old-fashioned inn, and a succulent supper worth remembering, w'ith that appetite whetted by a long ride in moorland air, and flavoured with the agreeable recollection of past perils safely surmounted.
The author has in his possession an oil-colour painting by Richard Stirzaker, made in 1823, representing the “Telegraph coach,” standing before the inn laden with luggage and passengers. On its sides are the names of the towns to which it runs, viz. : — Carlisle, Lancaster, Preston, Bolton, Manchester, and Liverpool;' and what an animated scene it reveals with “mine hostess,” Mrs. Jackson, standing in the entry talking to Arthur Shepherd, and with many local characters, such as Jack Towers, Father Saul, Fitty Jimmy at the stationer’s door. Old Fratch, John Gobles, Abbie Jingler, Beggy Ning-nang, Billy Toy leading a broken-down horse, and Chas. Docker, stay and corset maker, standing talking to Wm. Richardson, tea dealer; whilst up above almost all the windows are thrown wide open for those within to wave adieu as the horses spring up to the collars at the word “ Let ’em gah, mi lads, an’ luk oot fer yersels.”
The first stage coach from London to this inn arrived in 1763, twice a week, drawn by six horses, and was called the “flying machine,” I suppose, as it ran at the marvellous rate of six miles an hour.
REMOV’D from the WHITE LION, in KENDAL, to the KINGS’s ARMS, sets out from thence every Friday Morning', at Four o’Clock ; lies at the Bear’s Paw, at Wigan, and arrives at the Black Horse and Rainbow, in the High Street, Liverpool next Day, at Noon ; sets out from thence every Monday at Noon, lies at Wigan, and arrives at the King’s Arms, in Kendal, every Tuesday Evening. N.B. Any Person who has Occasion to go to Lancaster, Preston, Wigan, Warrington, Manchester, &c., or Parts adjacent, may be convey’d, by applying to the above King’s Arms, in Kendal, which will certainly and regularly set out at the Time mention’d.
From the Cumberland Pacquect for May 11, 1775, I extract the following : —
LONDON TO KENDAL FLYING MACHINE IN THREE DAYS.
“ Whereas it has been represented to the proprietors of the said machine, by several of the inhabitants in and about Kendal, that the said Machine not coming to Kendal as usual, has subjected the said inhabitants to several inconveniences, also appointments and losses, therefore the said proprietors, being willing to do the utmost in their power to remove such complaints, and depending upon the encouragement of the public in general, have agreed that a Machine of a new construction, on steel springs, shall begin to set out on Tuesday, the 9th of May, 1775, and continue to go from Mr. Petty’s, the “ King’s Arms Inn,” Kendal, every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday evening, about eleven o’clock, to carry three inside passengers, two of which may be insured seats at Kendal for London, and two more insured at Lancaster, where they take the Stage Coach which carries six inside, and the other seats are reserved for passengers from Liverpool who meet this Coach at Warrington.
£ S. D. S. D. Kendal to London 3 0 0 Kendal to Lancaster 5 0 Lancaster to do. 2 15 0 Lancaster to Preston 5 0 Preston to do. 2 10 0 Preston to Wigan 4 0 Wigan to do. 2 8 0 Wigan to Warrington 3 0 Outsiders and children on lap, half price ; each inside to be allowed 20 lbs. weight of luggage, outsiders 10 lbs., all above to pay 4d. per pound from Kendal to London, and in proportion the rest of the road. N.B. — A Stage Coach which goes between Liverpool and Preston, by way of Ormskirk, meets the above Machine at Preston, both in coming up and going down.” How nervous the good folk were of passing near London after dark is well shewn by the following note: — -This “ machine” will arrive at the far end early in the day in time for a good dinner, and it will be accompanied by a strong guard at the starting out so as to allay all fear.
Then in the Cumberland Pacquet for 1781, we find frequent advertisements such as this : — “ Cheap and Expeditious Travelling. A Coach or Diligence from Preston to Kendal, Fare 11 shillings — Sets out from the “Black Bull Inn,” Preston, on Monday morning, the 23rd of July, 1781, and will continue to run from the same Inn every Day (Sundays excepted) at five o’clock in the Morning ; Breakfast at the King’s Arms, Lancaster; arrives at Kendal at one o’clock, and returns the same Evening to Preston. This Coach is timed to meet the Glasgow Diligence on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, which arrives in Kendal at one o’clock. Dines and proceeds to Carlisle the same evening, and the Day following arrives at Glasgow.”
I have beside me a handbill dated from Kendal, May 12th, 1794, setting forth the “Kendal, Lancaster, and Preston FLYING STAGE WAGONS” which left the “White Horse Inn,” London, every Tuesday and Friday, by way of Lichfield, Warrington and Wigan. How long they took to accomplish the journey I do not know, but the circular goes on to say that the wagons arrive at Wigan, Chorley, and Preston every Monday and Thursday; Lancaster every Tuesday and Friday; and Kendal every Wednesday and Saturday. Returning to London from the “ King’s Arms Inn,” Kendal, every Wednesday and Saturday.
The light four-inside post coach, the “ Good Intent,” is advertised to run in 1811 from this inn to the “ Black Lion Inn,” Whitehaven, by way of Ambleside, Keswick, Cockermouth, and Workington, at 5-30 o’clock every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday morning, returning the following day at seven o’clock in the evening.
The night mails. North and South, crossed each other at Kendal, where they changed horses, the North one arriving at 11-30, and the South mail at midnight. This brief respite must have been a delicious rest to the traveller aching limbs. Indeed there would be just time to drink that noted drink of a tumbler of “fresh milk, one fair lump of sugar, two table-spoons of rum, with a passing thought of nutmeg grating on the top of all,” — a trifle that could be tossed off in a minute and so far as I can read, was perpetually so being tossed off, — before the guard applied “ the yard of tin ” to his lips, and the four fresh horses whirled them off again into the dark damp lanes.
Copy of Advertisement from the Cumberland Parquet, for July 3rd, 1781.
From the north the “ New Times ” was driven by Will Richardson, among whose feats as a “whip” was the cruel one of lifting with his thong a duck by the neck from the roadside, a dexterity only equalled by the man who could pick a fly off his leader’s right eyelid.
Another coach, the “Royal Union,” driven by Geoffrey Bentham, left for Leeds daily, skirting along a delightful range of valleys, and I illustrate on page 279, a reduced illustration of a large poster issued in 1808 concerning it.
What is announced as “the well regulated, safe, fast, cheap, and new light post coach, called the “ Royal Pilot,” we find from the local chronology is advertised to run from this inn to Lancaster, Preston and Liverpool.
Accidents were many of course, but what matter, delays were reckoned upon, and to arrive at all was cause for a benediction, as has been well said : — “You got upset in a coach and there you were, but now-a-days you get upset in a train and where are you?
The first mention we have of this inn is in 1696, at which time it was kept by a Mrs. Rowlandson, whose fame is handed down to us for her power of making excellent potted char and hot-pot. She retired in favour of her son, Alderman Thomas Rowlandson (mercer, having his shop under the Moot Hall), who was landlord in 1715, when Earl Derwentwater with his forces entered the town, in the time of the Rebellion. From 1728 to 1762 the inn was owned by the Singleton family, when it was sold to Alderman Christopher Fenton, who was four times Mayor, 1768, 1774, 1781 and 1792, and who is celebrated for being the first innkeeper to keep a post chaise in Kendal. The Singletons also farmed an estate, which to this day bears the name of Singleton Park. After a Dr. Masterson (died 1790) Alderman William Petty succeeded as landlord, and in 1798 Alderman Thomas Atkinson ; then followed John Jackson, who in 1811 guaranteed the business of the light post coach, and he, in turn, was succeeded by James Holmes, tenant in 1838, and who died in 1847. James Jackson came next, and he retired in 1867 in favour of Joseph Dawson, at whose death his daughter, Mrs. Bell, took up the reins of management with such great success and hearty cheer as we all so well remember. John D. Wilman came in 1894.
In 1841, the London Standard reports a substantial testimonial to the good cheer of this house, for we read in that paper that “among the delicacies of the dinner at the Commercial Travellers’ Association on Christmas Eve was a pie presented by the good lady of the ‘King’s Arms Inn’ at Kendal, which attracted much curiosity. The pie contained two fat geese, two large turkeys, four fowls, two pheasants, four grouse, two hares, four prize rabbits, three tongues, and eight pounds of beefsteak and ham. Its circumference measured seven feet, it was ten inches in depth, and weighed 5st. 81 bs.” No wonder the early papers delight in telling us of the sumptuous feasts spread out upon every conceivable occasion beneath the roof of such an hospitable hostess. Nothing seems to have gone wrong with our good townsfolk in those balmy days, for be it peace or war, trial or prosperity, there seems always to have been an occasion for feasting.
“ O hour of all hours, the most blessed upon earth,
Blessed hour of our dinners !
We may live without poetry, music, and art ;
We may live without conscience, and live without heart ;
We may live without friends ; we may live without books;
But civilized man cannot live without cooks.
He may live without books, — what is knowledge but grieving ?
He may live without hope, — what is hope but deceiving ?
He may live without love, — what is passion but pining ?
But where is the man that can live without dining ? ”
— Owen Meredith.
In 1812, Trinity College gentlemen held their annual dinner here ; the year following the good folk ate and drank in honour of the great battle of Leipsic, and later on in the same year the worthy Mayor bid them fill up their glasses and honour thirty-eight toasts by way of celebrating the victories over the French. In 1816, a social gathering was held in consequence of peace with America. In 1818, Mr. Brougham kept the board lively during his contest, and “The Kendal Book Club ” and “ The Card Assembly” held their festive balls. The patriotic met, to commemorate the glorious revolution of 1688, and the sportsmen, clad in Kendal green, gathered here over their annual hunt celebrations. In 1819, the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo was loyally kept, and we read later on of the Aldermen again dining and passing round the cup, in honour of George IV. being proclaimed King of England.
On Saturday, October 3rd, 1835, the papers record that “ a travelling carriage arrived with two gentlemen, who dined in private together. Much curiosity was excited as to who they were, till a domestic, with woman’s wit, put it to the test by asking the stouter party, whom she took to be a nobleman, to frank her a letter. He smiled, and said — ‘ Morgan, give this young lady a frank sure,’ whereupon Morgan gave her the frank of Daniel O’Connell.” It seems that before the delighted maid could spread the news of O’Connell’s presence he had managed to leave the town, much to our local reformers’ chagrin.
In visiting this inn one should not fail to notice the quaint old latch on the “ private room ” door and the two most interesting old keys of considerable merit that still unlock two other doors.
Below the inn are still three small shops, well depicted in Stirzaker’s picture. The one to the south was formerly occupied by Nathan Lowthian, who carried on the same business of a hairdresser as the present tenant does to this day ; next to this was the coach booking office. On the other side of the entry, and below the bay window of the “ Black Hole of Calcutta ” bedroom, is seen the old-established saddler’s shop — then carried on by Thomas Relph, and very much as it is now, with the exception that the door was in the centre, with two small windows on either side. John F Curwen, Kirkbie Kendal (1900) p274-283
In the prime era of coaching - circa 1820 - the 'Royal Liverpool' coach started to run from here, in opposition to the 'Good Intent', which had for nine years held the road from the 'Kings Arms' to Whitehaven. John F Curwen, Kirkbie Kendal (1900) p31
