The first mention of an alehouse in Otterton was
in 1673, although it is not known if this was
the origin of the Kings Arms. However, by 1711
the Kings Arms predecessor, The New Inn was in
existence : Robert Kelley. Licensee. (License
Victuallers Returns)During the 18th.century the
New Inn played an important part in village
affairs – supplying liquor for all Parish
occasions, as the Parish Accounts testify :-
1754 “To expence at Mr. Batts 7/-“; 1756 “To
Mr.Batt for what the Ringers had on Kings
Coronation last year 2/6d”; 1757 “ To Mr.Batt
for Parish Meeting 13/-“. William and Mary Batt
were licensees 1753 to 1775. On Williams death
in 1765, Mary continued at the New Inn to 1775
when she moved to the Golden Lion and Thomas
Woolcott took over. He was the tenant, the lease
being held by Aaron Barrett until 1790. The
Golden Lion was a 15th.century house on The
Green.
The 1790 Survey shows Michael Dare & Thomas
Potter holding the lease No.62 “Dwelling house,
garden, court, stables called The New Inn. Rent
£10pa. & Colyford part Burgins 2 acres
£2pa.” Potter may have been the licensee.In 1800
the New Inn had changed its name to Kings Arms ;
Matthew Palmer, licensee, and early in the
19th.century until the 1840’s it was the main
Post Office in the Lower Otter Valley. All mail
was brought here, hand stamped “Otterton Penny
Post” and dispatched to Exeter. This included
Budleigh Salterton and East Budleigh mail.
Matthew Palmer was succeeded by his son Robert
probably in 1828. By 1841 Robert is 60. By 1847
Roberts son John is licensee and is inviting
people to a Ball at the inn (Advertising Bill).
John had been apprenticed as a cabinet maker. He
is named as licensee in the 1851 Census with his
wife, son and daughter age 3 and 2
respectively.His wife died in July of that year,
probably unexpectedly.
In 1853 a petition to support posting a
policeman in the village was raised as a
disturbance had taken place at the Kings Arms
and an outside constable had been called in. He
appealed for help from some of those present but
they assaulted him. Following their conviction
the constable’s house was set on fire. The
petition had stated “a large proportion of the
inhabitants bear a bad character, many of them
appearing to live well without any visible
means”; they plunder by night and cause
malicious injury to property, such as breaking
gates to pieces, cutting down and carrying off
railings, lopping trees for firewood and robbing
gardens”. Annually all the fish in the salmon
hatch at the Mill were stolen. A constable was
appointed in June 1853 and a police cottage and
clothing provided from £61.1/- raised by
Otterton Vestry. Furthermore a clink was rented
from the Estate by the Inspector of Police at
10/- per annum. This was situated in St.Thomas
Hill (Maunders Hill).
By 1857 Edwin Snow is licensee. He was probably
connected with Snows Tiverton Brewery. He died
suddenly in 1858 aged 35 and his wife Betsey
carried on at the inn, remarrying Thomas Harding
who is named as licensee in 1866. The following
year the Rolle Estates are offering him Pinn
Farm (190½ acres) providing he gives up the
Kings Arms, which he takes. In the November the
Estate receives 11 applicants for the inn, which
include John Gosling, blacksmith, John Baker,
carpenter, Edward Hayman, all of Otterton. James
Quick & James Parsons of Exmouth, William
Brice of Dawlish, William Cain of Exeter, James
Best of Knowle, Thomas Pile, William Chowings of
Topsham. Eventually William Wheaton, publican
and wheelwright, of The Ship (now No 2) The
Strand Topsham was given a 21 year lease from
ladyday 1868 at £10 per annum providing he spent
£150 on repairs completed within a year.. By
February 1870 these had only half been completed
and Wheaton was bankrupt. He had approached
Richard Searle, Sidmouth Brewer, who presumably
supplied his liquor, for a loan but as Searle
demanded the lease from Wheaton as surety, The
Estate would not agree, Somehow he managed to
raise the money from other sources and
eventually spent £200 on repairs. The state of
the inn at this time was described as “very
discreditable” by Robert Lipscombe, the Estate
Land Agent.
At this time the inns of East Budleigh were
authorised to remain open until 11pm, whereas
the Kings Arms had to close at 10pm. This rule
incensed Mr. Wheaton and he tried to get round
this by applying to the Magistrates for an
extension on Rolle Rent Dinner Days. On 6th.June
annually tenants assembled at the Kings Arms to
pay their Rents and were treated to a Dinner.
Most tenants had left by 8pm, about half dozen
remaining. Mr.Lipscombe could see no reason for
an extension and persuaded the Magistrates to
turn it down.
In May 1884 a scene occurred at the Kings Arms
which “distressed Mr.Sweet (The Vicar) beyond
measure and he preached about it and the sin of
tempting a neighbour to make a beast of himself”
Bets had been laid as to who could drink the
most – leading to quarrelling and blows. As this
appeared an isolated incident , Mr.Rolle took no
action, but threatened to take the Rent Dinner
elsewhere if there were similar occurances.
By 1888
Wheatons lease ran out and the Kings Arms had
got into a filthy, dilapidated state, with a
filthy stable yard. There had been complaints
from gentlemen fishermen who held Otter tickets
and baited up in the yard. The Rolle Estate had
hoped to evict William Wheaton, the licensee,
and reopen as a Temperance Inn. However after
negotiations with George Vallance, the Sidmouth
Brewer (later absorbed into Devenish Brewery)
was offered the lease providing they spent £500
towards rebuilding the inn. They could either
build a new house and receive a 99 years lease
at £5 pa, or if the shell of the old house was
retained, a 60 year lease at £7.10/-. They opted
for a new building designed by Kirby & Ellis
and built by Rogers & Co. both of Exmouth.
The original plans showed an entrance on the
east side, turned down by the Estate as the
brook would need rebridgeing. The eastern area
was to be turned into a private garden on the
site of the ground level cellar stood.
The building work took place between January
& October 1889 and Mr.Lipscombe comments
that he is “sorry not to see the old fashioned
“Kings Arms” sign put up again. These kinds of
signs are becoming things of the past and as the
style of the building also savours of the past,
I think the old sign would be much in keeping
with the new building” He remarks very
favourably on its appearance and is “afraid that
for the present, Wheatons rough ways and his
children (he had 17, 8 of whom lived in) would
not render the house a very attractive venue for
anglers”,”he keeps a house which no gentleman,
let alone a lady would come to go in”.Mr.
Wheaton was kept on as Vallance’s landlord and
died on 5th. December 1903.
On Wheatons death, William Alfred Coate became
the licensee. He was 22 at the time. His father
was a traveller for Vallances. Bill Coate set
about creating the “Otterton and Bicton Football
Team”, known thereafter as the Otterton Rollers.
In 1923 they won the coveted Morrison-Bell Cup.
Bill Coate was keen on horses and horse racing
and probably had other means. In the early
20th.century the Kings Arms had a thriving
business, especially on market days. Meals were
provided to farmers etc. on the first floor.
Bill had died in 1949 and Ethel his wife
continued as licensee until her death in 1963
followed by her daughter and husband Bill &
Eileen Fletcher. Later licensees were Mr. James,
Mr. Yates, Frank Holwill (1965) then his
daughter and husband, Julia and David Seager.
The Vallance lease expired in 1988 and a new
lease was eventually granted to F.W.S. Carters
company Tripletotal Ltd., in 1990 who completely
rebuilt and refurbished the interior. John and
Katie Collingwood took over as managers. Harry
Blundred’s company Transit Hotels Ltd. had taken
over the lease by the mid 1990’s and in early
1997 built a single storey restaurant attached
to the east side of the inn. In September the
village Post Office and shop closed and the
Kings Arms took over the license, converting the
restaurant into a new Post Office and shop named
“Arkwrights”. After 140 years the Post Office
had returned to the Kings Arms. At the same time
the restaurant, now called “The Kings Table” was
reopened in the old stables, which had been used
as a bowling alley and recreational area
previously.
In 2000 rebuilding the first floor took place,
increasing the number of bedrooms. By 2004,
through ill-health John Collingwood had to
retire, to be replaced by Zoe and David Ellison,
to be followed the following year by Ian
Simpson. On 28th.July 2006 the Post Office and
shop (Arkwrights) was closed and the building
reconverted to a small hotel/restaurant. Michael
Hext, Manager by 2008. 2014 interior
refurbished, Michael Dabrowiecka, Manager.
© Gerald Millington September 2014
NOTES
In 1990 I was consulted by John Collingwood as
to the Kings Arms sign and advised the arms of
George III as the name had changed during
M.G.Palmer’s time and is first named about 1800.
The sign was eventually removed in 2013,
whereabouts not known.
2013 King George
III sign to right.
