Crown Inn and Sue Ryder House

The Crown Inn was the place to stay in 18th century Swaffham. Not only was it an hotel, but also a meeting place, exhibition hall, ball room, auctioneers and anything else that was needed, including the occasional court room.

The first written mention dates from 1648 and the first named proprietor on record is Fairfax Rainer, tenant in 1727 and owner in 1731.

Horses and carriages were led through an overarching entrance into what later became known as Crown Yard This yard – even when the inn itself was demolished – housed several small workshops.

Ben Ripper. Artist’s impression of the Crown Inn

In 1886 the Conservatives established a club here “in the old Crown” and a soup kitchen was opened which “recognised prevailing distress among the poor classes.”

It is known that Emma Hamilton, the mistress of Horatio Nelson, “…entertained at dinner some of the most considerable families in that town at the Crown Inn…” (Norfolk Chronicle, 2.August 1806)

The Nelson family itself was closely linked with Swaffham and were frequent visitors, staying at “The Villa”, now Strattons. Much earlier Edmund Nelson, Horatio’s father, lived with his young family in a house on London Street before moving to North Norfolk. Horatio was not yet born but a baby named Horatio was baptised and buried in Swaffham church and three of his siblings were baptised here.

The inn closed in 1878/9 and shops took over the building until they, too, were demolished around 1952.

Note: Research on The Crown and the shops which replaced it is continuing . We would appreciate any information

Unfortunately, Swaffham museum only has the photograph, not the actual tankards!

Salters shoe shop, a national chain, came to Swaffham in the 1940s and bought the land on the edge of the Crown Yard at that time. However, it was not until 1956 that the shop was built and they could finally move in. The shop closed in 1989.

Salters was followed by Breakers Clothing Company in the 1990s.

And then by The Sue Ryder charity shop, in about 1992. The shop had first opened at no.53.