Alnwick (Clayport) - Freemen's Arms aka William IV

Name: Freemen's Arms aka William IV

Address: Clayport Street, Alnwick

Albion House, the site of the Freemen's Arms
Courtesy of Adrian Smith

The Freemen's Arms was located on Clayport Street opposite the Anchor Inn, which sadly no longer stands, having made way for new development in the 1900s, now replaced by the bus station and Morrison's supermarket behind.

1864 Town Plan

The Freemen's Arms was building still stands and today is home to Alnwick Flame, a pizza and kebab takeaway business. Prior to that it was home to a variety of other businesses after the pub had closed, more recently, 'Thos Pizzas', an Italian takeaway.

Previously this pub was called the William IV. It was common practice to name pubs after the reigning monarch, and William IV ruled from 1830 – 1837. The 1830 Beerhouse Act liberalised the brewing and selling of beer, and as a result, the number of pubs increased dramatically.

The pubs appears to have been renamed in the late 1830s. At the time there were at least a dozen pubs in Clayport. This was below the Pack Horse, above the Blue Bell, opposite Clayport Tower Inn, Anchor & Grey’s Inn. It continued in business until about 1870 as the Freemen’s Arms.

The earliest reference I can find to the Freemen's Arms was on Friday,  Mar. 8, 1839 in the Newcastle Courant, but the 1855 directory, some 16 years later still made reference to the William IV, which is confusing, but it may have already become known locally as the Freemen's by the that time.

Newcastle Courant 8 Mar. 1839

Listed landlords at the Inn were Michael J Archbold (1854-58), C Hogg (1860), Mary Codling (1861) and James Cairns (1870-).

Alnwick Mercury Wednesday,  Nov. 1, 1854

1855 Whellan's Directory

In the three years between these directories the Inn changed its name and first appeared as the Freemen's Arms when run by a Michael J Archbold. I suspect from the press cutting in 1854 above that the listing of Michael J Wilson as landlord in 1855 was an error on the surname, as Archbold was landlord at the time.

1858 Post Office Directory

Alnwick Mercury Wednesday,  Dec. 1, 1858

Morpeth Herald Saturday,  Mar. 17, 1860

1861 Census Elizabeth Mary Codling Freemen's Arms

Newcastle Courant  Friday,  Sept. 9, 1870

Alnwick Mercury Saturday,  Sept. 24, 1870

The Freemen's Arms closed for good in 1870. It was demolished a short time later and Albion House built in its place. Records thereafter, including the 1911 census below confirm the new building was used as an off licence for a period before being put to other uses in the 20th century, the 'landlord' Andrew Matthewson describing himself as a Manager of Public House Off License.

1911 Census - Andrew Matthewson (off license)