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Shop changes in Cornmarket:
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Oxford History
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The early inn on this site was originally known as Pate’s Inn and then Somenour’s Inn. it was rebuilt in about 1500 as the Bull Inn, and at some point before 1555 was divided into two, the southern part being the present 3 Cornmarket.

The original timber-framed building hides behind the present eighteenth-century front. Upstairs are wall paintings dating from between 1564 and 1581 when John Tatleton (whose initials were found over a fireplace in the back room) leased the house.

In about 1600 John Davenant and his wife moved to Oxford, where he took over the wine tavern here at 3 Cornmarket. This tavern had twenty rooms, and was owned by New College. In 1604 he was awarded one of the three city licences to sell wine here. Shakespeare is believed to have stayed at this house. Anthony Wood wrote:

John Davenant was a sufficient vintner, kept the tavern now known by the name of the Crowne, … was mayor of the said city in the year 1621, … was a very grave and discreet citizen (yet an admirer of plays and play-makers, especially Shakespeare, who frequented his house in his journies between Warwickshire and London)….

Aubrey also reported the same:

Mr William Shakespeare was wont to goe into Warwickshire once a yeare, and did commonly in his journey lye at this house in Oxon. where he was exceedingly respected.

Shakespeare was rumoured to be the actual father of Davenant's son William (born 1605/6), who became a playwright.

Early in the seventeenth century, around the time that Davenant moved in, oak panelling was installed to hide the old-fashioned wall-paintings. The panelling was in turn was covered with canvas and paper, and the paintings were not rediscovered until 1927. The 1630 oak panels have now been put on rollers so they can be pushed aside to reveal the wall paintings when the room is opened to visitors.

The frieze that runs along the top of the north wall and finishes beside the chimney breast on the east wall (above and below) reads: "And last of the rest be thou / gods servant for that hold i best / In the mornynge earlye / serve god Devoutlye / Fear god above allthynge."

The brickwork of the fireplace (below) dates from 1350, and the letters over the fireplace from about 1450. These are either "ΙΗΣ" (the first three letters for Jesus in the Greek alphabet) or "IHS", an abbreviation for the Latin Iesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus, Saviour of Mankind).

On 29 September 1659 the council granted a widow, Mrs Anne Turton, a licence by the city to sell wines for ten years at a rent of £10 per year. This licence had been formerly held by Henry Southam, who had died on 16 March 1658/9.) William Morrell married Mrs Turton soon afterwards in 1660 (also taking in her daughter Mary). On 14 September 1660 he requested that his new wife’s city wine licence be made over to him. Thereafter the couple jointly ran the inn here at 3 Cornmarket Street. Soon after he took over this tavern, Charles II was proclaimed King and Morrell provided the council with sack and claret to the value of £11 6s. 6d. In 1665 Morrell is shown as paying tax on nine hearths here.

By 1666 this building had become known as the Crown Inn (not to be confused with the present Crown on the other side of Cornmarket). Anthony Wood describes in his diary (ii:152) how he ate and drank here on 18/19 March 1669 with Sir Edward Bysshe. He also records a death here in January 1687 (iii.206):

2 Jan., Sunday, in morne, died suddenly at the Crowne Inn Oxford of a sore throat (alias the French pox) Robert Thacker, designer to the King, and the next day was buried in S. Martin's church at the west end near to the font, aged between 40 and 50"..

In 1696 Joan Turton paid tax on 20 windows on this inn.

The building ceased to be a tavern in 1750, and lost its frontage in 1774 when Cornmarket was widened.

In 1772 a survey of every house in the city was taken in consequence of the Mileways Act of 1771. According to Salter, 3 Cornmarket was then in the occupation of Alderman Austin, and had a frontage of 9 yards, 1 ft. and 7 in.

 

 

Left: 3 Cornmarket in c.1900

 

For over a hundred years, from the 1830s to the 1930s, this was a tailor's shop. The 1881 census shows that 40 to 50 assistants and workmen were employed here.

In 1921 the property was sold by New College to the City of Oxford.

For fifty years until the late 1970s it was a Lyon's café.

The Oxford Preservation Trust had its offices here until 1972, and its meetings were held in the Painted Room.

 

The Old Crown Inn is a Grade II* listed building.