The Nag’s Head is a ­­twentieth century mock Tudor building which was once a beer house.

John Turner was the named landlord in 1895 around which time Thomas Makepeace was a blacksmith in the adjoining yard. Thomas was registered as a beer retailer in 1905 and following his death in 1909 his wife Alice Kate took over the licence.

Alice married Alfred Green in June 1912 who became the landlord. He was called up for the army and the licence was transferred to Charles Hotson in June 1914 – who too joined the army, the licence moving to Thomas Cooper. Alfred and Alice parted in the best of terms and hoped to see each other again. They had no children. But he never came home when on leave and following his discharge in 1919 he did not return. On application and in the absence of her husband a formal separation was made and maintenance agreed. Alfred was working as a miner blacksmith in Motherwell Scotland but fell behind in maintenance payments. He had enough money for them to live together but not to live apart, partly because of the expense of travelling south to court hearings for which he had to borrow money. He lost his job in Motherwell and had been committed to prison in connection with arrears. He had repeatedly offered her a home, but Alice would not come; in any event the Clerk of the Court stated he could not offer her a home because she had a separation order. It is not known what happened later to Alfred – in all a sad tale.

Later owners of the Nags Head, brewers Hoare and Co, who acquired it in auction in 1922, spent a substantial amount of money in 1925 completely refurbishing the premises. As a consequence, they sought, and obtained permission to replace the beer house licence by transferring to it the publican’s license then held in respect of the Market Tavern, which they had purchased from the Rock Brewery, Brighton. This had the effect of the Market Tavern ceasing to exist. After being rebuilt in the 1930s it traded as the Family and Commercial Hotel, before reverting to its previous name.

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