Welcome to the History of The Chequers Burcot

The timber-framed Chequers Inn crouches snugly under its thatched roof on the south side of the main road, opposite it's much newer neighbours of Balfour Cottages. Traditionally held to have been an Inn for at least four hundred years it may have even gone back further to 1330. It stands on a historic site of great activity, although there is nothing to indicate this. Those who pass on this rather featureless stretch of road are pulled in by its delightful facade and established good reputation. Its long importance is linked, as has been described under "The Commercial River", with the onetime role of Burcot as head of the river for navigation, later superseded.

Its near neighbours, the core of the old hamlet of which very few remain to-day, are Tudor Cottage (the Barge Captain's "hostel") and the timber framed Old Cottage, formerly Burcot Cottage (the Wharf Owner's house). It may also be close to the site of the "long defunct Burcot Ferry", the link with the hamlet which once existed on the flood plain on the river's southern side, and used by the wool merchants who came down from the Chilterns with their bales to trade with the inhabitants.

We know little of it's past history, other than that our famous Chelsea Out-Pensioner William Dyke stayed here, some years after the Napoleonic War ended. In Wally Tinson's time as landlord, 1921-1937, Burcot Revel was held at the Inn, more convenient for merry-making than remote and inaccessible Revel Mead, described more fully elsewhere. The Inn was the focal point when, before machinery took over, every local farm was dependent upon many agricultural labourers, and here there were servants in the big houses who sought refreshment away from their employers' eyes.

Much nearer our own time, the Inn, of which Eric and Dot Vowles were in charge, had a narrow escape in the 1950's when a fire broke out in the Dairy on its West side and spread to its neighbour. A horse-drawn fire engine was called out from Dorchester which poured water on the Inn to save it, but had to let the Dairy go. Mr. T. Atkins of Benson who was there at the time said that the fire destroyed much, but the thick old beams escaped, revealing a hidden compartment upstairs in part of the chimney. Mr. R. Cherrill of Dorchester tells that in it was a full set of horse harness. Why it had been secreted there is a mystery - was it the spare equipment of a local highwayman?

On the first Sunday in July Benson Vintage Cycle Club used to come through Burcot, taking two hours to pass - sociables, tandems, wooden wheels - an event much looked forward to by the villagers who all came out to watch, many with a drink in their hands, as also the day when the Queen came through to open the restored Abingdon Town Hall.

Villagers have long gathered there for special events and celebrations. It proved possible to re-build The Chequers in the 50's round its iron-hard old beams, and the present-day customer will find a log fire in the bar's deep whole fireplace, with the settles on either side. The splendid beam which extends over the whole fireplace is reputed to be six hundred years old and to have been brought from The Axe and Compass at Ogbourne St. Andrew in Wiltshire. Burcot once had a Post Office and a shop close to The Chequers, but both have now gone.

Excerpt from the book "The View from the Bridge" by Sheila Llewellyn

And now the next stage, presenting Steve and Laura Sanderson

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The Chequers, Abingdon Road, Burcot, Oxon. OX14 3DP. Tele:- 01865-407771