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The Green Man public house in the early years of the 20th century. Beside
it can be seen the Guildhall. A fire in 1905 destroyed the pub. As mentioned
on the 'Buildings' page, the fire was attended by engines from the village
and from nearby Wethersfield and the 15th century Guildhall was saved.
In earlier times the pub was known as the Bell Inn - it is thought that the church bells were cast on this site. A document from 1740 refers to the Bell Inn, another from 1782 shows that the name had changed by then. The Green Man name comes from a person, dressed all in green, who travelled around the countryside selling herbal medicines. After the fire a new Green Man was built. It was much later renamed The Finch and has now been converted into a private dwelling. It can be seen on the 'hostelries' page.
This picture shows the service of dedication of the War Memorial by The Reverend Harry Jordan and Major General Sir Harold Goodeve Ruggles Brise, K.C.M.G., C.B., C.V.O. The date was 27th June 1920. The memorial was designed by Arthur Legge, R.B.A. and cost £268:14s:2d. The following names appear on the memorial, first from the 1914-18 war: Alfred Allen, William Adams, George H. Broyd, Portor Choat, Leonard Gowlett,
Tom Juniper, George Kemp, Robert Linsell, Ernest Mickley, Harry Martin, John
E. Overall, Ernest Purkiss, Tom Purkiss, Walter Ralling, John Suckling, Arthur
Shead, Harry Stock, Harold Sullen, William Sullen, Sidney Smoothy, William
Sains, Ernest Turpin, George Townsend, Harry Townsend, Alfred Underwood,
Percy Wiffen and Albert Wood. And from the 1939-1945 war: J. H. H. Copeman, B. C. Gilbanks, T. O. Ruggles-Brise, L. Taylor, W. M. Webb and F. Willingham. Thanks to Ron Hawkins for supplying the photos on this page.
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The curvy sign above the
pub door tells us that, by a strange chance, the building also served
as the local office for the Sun Insurance Company. The second photo shows
the scene the day after the fire; the ruins are still smoking. 