Photo above: Craven Arms on right ‘Bar’ above front door. Plough seen in the centre with Worthington sign on side.
Sometimes known as Craven Arms Hotel, recorded in circa 1842.
To let in 1857 as Craven Arms Commercial Hotel, with rent of £80 per year and f&f at £500. Stabling for forty horses, fifteen bedrooms for travellers.
On the 30th of April 1858, S. M. Randall placed an advert in the Leicester Journal 1858:
‘Having succeeded the proprietorship of the Craven Arms, after his long experience cook, can give satisfaction to all parties who may honour him with his patronage’ NB Tripe super every Fri night from 7-30pm-11pm.’
Landlord Randall died in the Craven Arms in 1863. It was reported that Randall and a few friends were larking about, Randall sitting on the top rail of a chair with his feet on the seat. One of the friends then tried to lift his leg over Randall’s head, whereon Randall fell to the ground, bringing on delirium tremens. Chloroform was administered but Randall became rigid dead.
Another tragic death occurred two years later in November 1865, when the landlord’s wife, Elizabeth Kenny aged fifty-nine, was burnt to death when her clothes caught fire whilst attending to the fire grate in the vaults.
A meeting held by the local Temperance Society was reported in LC in 1868. Its supporters, bearing torches congregated, outside the Craven Arms where they were addressed from a window of the pub. Amidst considerable uproar the speaker was pelted with dead cats (where were they from?) and other missiles.
The Craven Arms was bought by the Bell Hotel next door during World War I, being closed on the 21st of May 1923, and absorbed into the Bell Hotel.
There is some suggestion in deeds that prior to being called the Craven Arms, it was called the Horse & Groom during the 1830s, and prior to that the Bulls Head after standing empty for a while, originally having been the Black Lion, circa 1790. Another Horse & Groom and Black Lion existed in Humberstone Gate so this possibility is unlikely.
Craven Arms, left to right Admiral Nelson-Plough-Craven Arms