A History of The Bell Inn, Stilton

The Bell Inn in Stilton, Cambridgeshire, is a building steeped in history, its story interwoven with the fabric of England itself. For centuries, it has stood as a silent witness to the comings and goings of travellers, merchants, and nobles, its walls echoing with the tales of highwaymen, writers, and the everyday folk who have sought shelter within.

The origins of The Bell Inn are thought to stretch back to at least 1500, though some records suggest an innkeeper was present in the village as early as 1437. The current structure, with its charming timber frames and classic coaching inn layout, dates to 1642, a time when England was on the brink of civil war. Its location was key to its success. Stilton was strategically positioned on the Great North Road, the main artery connecting London to the north. For travellers undertaking the arduous journey by horse-drawn coach, Stilton was the perfect overnight stop, being a day’s ride from the capital.

This strategic importance turned Stilton into a bustling hub of activity. By the early 19th century, the village boasted more than a dozen inns, with stabling for over 300 horses. A community of farriers, ostlers, and blacksmiths thrived, all catering to the constant flow of traffic. The Bell Inn was at the heart of this, a place of rest and refreshment for weary travellers.

It was during this era that the inn became synonymous with Stilton cheese. While the cheese was not made in the village, The Bell Inn was one of the first places to serve it to travellers, who then spread its fame across the country. The writer Daniel Defoe, best known for Robinson Crusoe, is said to have stayed at the inn several times between 1697 and 1701. In his 1724 work, A tour thro’ the whole island of Great Britain, he famously described being served the cheese with “the mites, or maggots round it, so thick, that they bring a spoon with them for you to eat the mites with, as you do the cheese.” While not the most appetising description, it cemented the inn’s connection to the famous blue cheese.

The inn’s guest book, were it to have survived intact, would surely list a host of famous names. But it is an infamous guest who has left the most indelible mark on The Bell’s history. The notorious highwayman Dick Turpin is said to have used the inn as a hideout for nine weeks while on the run from the law. The stories of his time here, and his dramatic escape from an upstairs window, have become a cornerstone of the inn’s legend, blurring the lines between history and folklore.

The 20th century brought new challenges. The rise of the motor car initially revived the inn’s fortunes, but in 1959, the A1 was re-routed, bypassing Stilton completely. The passing trade that had been the lifeblood of the village for centuries vanished overnight. The Bell Inn, like many other businesses in Stilton, suffered. It fell into decline and was, for a time, derelict.

Thankfully, this was not the end of the story. The inn was eventually restored, its historical character preserved for future generations. Today, it stands not just as a hotel and pub, but as a living piece of English history, a tangible link to a bygone era of stagecoaches, highwaymen, and the birth of a world-famous cheese.