Breweries and Braunston.

Tuesday  24th September

Helen had visited the old Crown and Anchor pub just near lock two, which is now the gift and ice cream shop. he was looking for post cards and bits for Christmas and birthday's and managed to find one or two things. The pub closed in 1934.

The weather was dry and dull when we set off in the morning. Just before the bridge before the A5,  Brg. 12, I was hoping to get a glimpse of the old Anchor Brewery behind where the wharf had been. It seems in September 1868 the coal wharf, maltings, inn and various properties were for sale. A brewery was then established by Mongomery and Harris & Co in 1869 and by 1890 seemed to have acquired several tied houses in the area. These included The Champion at Braunston, The Why Not at East Haddon, Horseshoe at Long Buckby,  Shoulder of Mutton Crick, The Case is Altered in Northampton, and the George Inn Long Buckby. The brewery was taken over by Walker and Soames in 1898, a company formed by the partnership of two brewing families, one from Spalding and one from Beverley. Capt. Walker's daughter Geraldine married Gerald Soames and the two men set up the business. Geraldine threw her self into the community and the breeding of elk hounds and goats, She became the chair of each society. She bred the only recorded goat herd in Northampton and had the goat the was the first to produce 2 gals. of milk in 24 hours. She died in 1950 but they had had no children so left the chattels to their long term cook/housekeeper and Chauffeur/Gardener. Gerald had died in 1946, but the business had been bought by Brackley brewer Hopcraft and Norris in 1910. I think it would be around this time that brewing stopped at the Anchor Brewery, but certainly when Hopcraft and Norris were merged with Chesham Brewery in 1946.

We went up the last lock in the flight with the help of two voluntary lock keepers who told us that they had had as many boats before 09:30 today as they had had all day yesterday. I can't think why. We went straight on at the junction and headed towards the tunnel. This picture will be a different picture in a few weeks after a bit of frost and the leaves turn. Strangely after all the rain we have had there was still water coming out of the feeder from Daventry Reservoir.

As we approached the tunnel I could see a boat near the end so I waited for them. We passed another couple of boats in the tunnel and the first shaft had a torrent coming through, but otherwise, despite the recent rain, not that wet at all. My kindness was repaid as when approaching the end a boat waited for me to exit. As we exited I wasn't sure whether I could see the stern light of the boat that had gone in after us, or the tunnel light of one coming our way. It turned out that it was coming our way and we waited for them at the first lock and had a quick trip down the locks. They were heading for the Braunston Marina.

The shop at the bottom lock has just been taken over and both times we have transited these locks this trip Helen has come out with a loaf of bread, a new line the new couple who have taken it on are doing.

The lock keepers keep the bottom lock surrounding, around the dry dock, very neat and tidy.

I'm sure these buildings could tell a few canal stories. We found a mooring between the two marina entrances and before Butcher's Bridge and settled in. Chatting to the couple we came down the locks with I had asked if he knew somebody local to do a Boat Safety Certificate survey and he supplied a name. I phoned him up and he said he could come down the next day. I spent the afternoon checking over all that was required for the survey and getting everything ready for it.

We walked up the hill to the Old Plough and got in before any rush for a very nice steak and bottle of wine. Apparently the pub has been here since 1672. The first mention of a Plough Inn I can find is 1810.