THE ANCHOR INN
Kept for several generations by the Pratt family, the Anchor Inn, at the corner of the High Street and Watling Street, was reckoned to be the village’s most popular pub. It was very much the centre of action. (In the late 19th and early 20th centuries there were a good manymore houses on Watling Street and very many fewer in the centre of the village.)
The football team used to meet there, and for a time had changing rooms there. It was also the traditional starting place for many processions marking national events. In its latter years it was owned by Phipps and Co. Brewery (Northampton), and the last landlord was Archie Bushell who moved when the pub closed to the White Hart at Grafton Regis.
The Anchor was demolished in 1965 as part of road improvements at the junction of the A5 and the High Street.
The Anchor played a major role in the leisure activites of the village. These are two views of it in the early years of the 20th century.
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A view of the Anchor from the Puxley Road before the road was realigned.
This row of cottages known as Ivy Cottages was on the A5 to the south of the Anchor. Today, there is a high stone wall set back from the road at the top of a grassy bank.
These cottages stood on the opposite side of the A5. Greystone Lodge is immediately behind them.