Former Tithebarn Pub
The Former Tithebarn Pub
and adjoining former Aladdin’s Cove building
The Former Tithebarn Pub and adjoining former Aladdin’s Cove buildings. The Tithebarn pub building is a council owned building, and was quickly earmarked for demolition by the council. However, Preserving Preston’s Heritage campaigned to save the building. Prior to the news about the demolition being received, the group was already working on a proposal to use the building as a Heritage Centre. PPH’s quickly formulated the remainder of the plans, formed a Community Interest Company and submitted proposals to save the building to Preston City Council. We were successful in saving at least part of the Tithebarn but, at this stage, the Council are proposing that they keep the building and potentially open it up as a public house.
You can read more about Preserving Preston’s Heritage’s Tithebarn Heritage Centre proposals here:
Blog Preston Article:
https://www.blogpreston.co.uk/2021/12/future-of-former-tithebarn-pub-uncertain/
Plans could save 19th Century pub building – BBC:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn41yxlk3gxo
The former Aladdin’s Cove building
We are not sure about the adjoining building, which did undergo some improvement work a few years ago. In a poor state of repair but again a historically important and an aesthetically pleasing building. The former warehouses are listed on the National Heritage List for England.
Tithebarn Public House History
The Tithebarn Pub has been on its current site in Preston since approximately 1796. It was previously known as the Waggon and Horses, as it served the blacksmith community of the area – which makes sense of the recent archaeological findings on the site behind. It was also known as The Volunteer and The Stocking. There’s been lots of talk of civic occasions and traditions in the form of the Guild recently but did you know that this was the site of the traditional civic ceremony of Boundary Riding in Preston?
Whilst the building in its current form spent most of its commercial life under the name of “WAGGON AND HORSES”, and was probably built as that establishment, there is evidence to suggest that there were earlier establishments in that location. It is possible that parts of that building are now included in the fabric of the current building.
Establishments in this location were previously known as “THE STOCKING” and “THE VOLUNTEER”. There is also a possibility that there was an establishment named the “SETTING DOG” in the early 1700s.
The “SETTING DOG” on Back Weind (now named Lord Street), gleaned via information from Trevor Kirkham of Preston Historical Society, is known to be extant in 1711 and specifically also on 13th May 1736.
The following, referring to the Waggon & Horses, is an extract from the book, ‘Peeps at old Preston’, by George C. Miller that was published in 1957.
The pub (“WAGGON AND HORSES”) took its name from the large number of blacksmiths clustered around the Tithebarn area. The name stayed with the premises for over 200 years before being changed to The Tithebarn. An old town custom called ‘Boundary Riding’ took place here whereupon the Mayor and members of the Corporation would set off on horseback to view the boundaries of the borough. As part of this ceremony, two of the town’s bailiffs were whipped round the nearby pump. Things got out of hand, as these events are wont to do, when the blacksmiths joined in the fray and began to beat the poor bailiffs with iron bars and other iron implements. After this, the old custom was discontinued.
An account by somebody called ‘Mary’, commenting on a Blog Preston article 8 years ago, recalls the following:
I remember it before it was called Tithbarn when it was The Waggon and Horses, a lively public house, packed most night. In the music room there was a piano and many good and famous acts would appear on their way to Blackpool, many using the old bus station across the road, now demolished. In the ‘best room’ people dressed in their best and sat on comfortable upholster seats. A bell just above their heads on the wall pressed when service was required. I remember the old fire station directly opposite on Tithbarn Street. I remember the sweet shop opposite and parched peas sold there.
