Before 1620 this was the site of Warren House. Part of the present structure is probably eighteenth century and by 1777 James Jordan was keeping it as the Cock and Warren alehouse. It was renamed the Rodney or Rodney Head in the late eighteenth century and was taken over by John Pullen and about 1820 by his widow, Mary. After the Rodney sign moved down the hill in the late 1860s (SVR), this property became known as the Old Rodney. About 1885 Elijah Mecklenburg opened up pleasure gardens and it became a popular venue for Sunday School and choir outings. In 1896 The Wickham Bishops juvenile choir was conveyed here in three horse-drawn vehicles and in July 1898, 80 members of the Women’s Liberal Association came in rakes for their summer excursion. By 1902 the new proprietor, Mr. William Boreham, was entertaining parishioners to a Coronation party. From May 1922, Mrs. Jessie Clark was operating the premises as the ‘Old Rodney Hotel’ advertising ‘lunches, teas and hard tennis courts’. It became a private house in 1948." *
Known Residents
The following entries are in this format:
Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.
1925-6/Mrs. Jessie Clark/../../../Kelly's
1929/Mrs. Jessie Clark/Proprietress/../../Kelly's
1933/Mrs. Jessie Clark/Proprietress/../../Kelly's
1937/Mrs. Jessie Clark/Proprietress/../../Kelly's
* Chris Day, The Little Baddow History Centre