A short history of The Post Inn

On 22nd January 1964 the name of this Inn was shortened from "THE POST OFFICE INN". As such it had once formed part of the chain of roadside inns upon which the history of the POST OFFICE itself was founded.

Henry VIII started the network when in 1516, he made arrangements for mail to be delivered from London to wherever he happened to be at the time.

A 'line of posts' was set up where the King's courier could get fresh horses, and the obvious choices were the roadside inns. In 1635 the ROYAL POST service was thrown open for public use, with the innkeepers also serving as postmasters.

During the 1650's, when Oliver Cromwell ruled, these innkeepers-postmasters were virtually government spies keeping tabs on travellers for Cromwell.

In 1784 the first mail coach service was introduced, with fresh horses being provided at approximately ten mile intervals. A few years later however, Post Office policy changed and mail was switched away from the inns. The job went instead to local traders, or even the schoolmaster, until POST OFFICES were established in their own right.