Author Archives: Wade

Royal Six Bells

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Pub that was at 222 High Street, Colliers Wood, Merton. Currently (2025) it is a restaurant.

Contents

Eric Montague Photos
Timeline
Newspaper articles
Maps

1966 photo by Eric Montague, reproduced by kind permission of the Merton Historical Society

1974 photo by Eric Montague, reproduced by kind permission of the Merton Historical Society

I. ANCIENT FOUNDATIONS & EARLY ORIGINS

AD 43 – 400s | The Roman Road

  • Context: The site lies on Stane Street (A24), the Roman arterial road connecting London to Chichester.
  • Significance: This route established Merton as a focal point for transit for centuries to come.

Medieval Era | The Ecclesiastical Link

  • Context: The name “Six Bells” almost certainly refers to the peal of bells at the nearby St. Mary’s Church, linking the pub to the parish’s auditory and religious identity.

II. THE COACHING INN ERA (1750 – 1854)

1750 (July) | The First “Six Bells”

  • Event: Richard Hollamby insures a new building: “The Six Bells Alehouse, unfinished… at Merton Bridge”.
  • Structure: A two-storey, weatherboarded timber structure with a pantiled roof.

c. 1800 | A Vital Stop

  • Status: Recorded as a large public house in the possession of Mr. Newman.
  • Function: Located near the “Single Gate” tollgate, it served as a mandatory stop for travelers moving between rural Surrey and London.

1833 (May) | Community Hub

  • Event: Parish officers “beating the bounds” of Mitcham stop here for lunch, establishing it as a civic and social node.

III. THE VICTORIAN PUB & ROYAL PATRONAGE (1855 – 1994)

1855 | The Rebuild

  • Event: The original wooden inn is demolished (likely for water main works).
  • The current yellow stock brick building is erected in just three weeks by local builder James Bass to be ready for Derby Day.

Late 19th Century | The “Royal” Connection

  • Event: Renamed The Royal Six Bells.
  • Reason: The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) frequented the inn to change horses and rest while travelling to the Epsom Derby.
  • Clientele: It served a dual purpose: a high-class stop for Derby travelers and a “third space” for local mill and textile workers.

1891 | The Local Fabric

  • Context: Census records show the pub surrounded by a dense workforce living in cottages like “Barnes Cottages” opposite, emphasizing its role in the “industrious village”.

WWII (1939–1945) | Civil Defense

  • Adaptation: The nearby Wandle Park swimming pool (behind the pub) is converted into a communal air-raid shelter, integrating the pub’s geography into local defense.

IV. IDENTITY CRISIS & DECLINE (1995 – 2007)

c. 1995 – 2000 | “Riverside”

  • Rebrand: Name changed to Riverside to highlight proximity to the River Wandle.

c. 2000 – 2005 | “Baobab”

  • Rebrand: Renamed Baobab, adopting a thematic/modern branding concept.

2005 – 2007 | “Blue”

  • Rebrand: Renamed Blue, attempting a minimalist lounge/bar aesthetic to attract younger clientele.

V. CATASTROPHE & REBIRTH (2007 – Present)

2007 (July 1) | The Great Flood

  • Event: Severe flooding of the River Wandle causes significant damage to the building.
  • Outcome: The pub closes its doors and remains boarded up for several years, ending its life as a licensed public house.

2011 (September) | Delhi Heights

  • Rebirth: The building is repurposed and opens as Delhi Heights, an Indian restaurant.

2015 – Present | Istanbul Meze Mangal

  • Current Status: The site operates as Istanbul Meze Mangal, a Turkish restaurant.
  • Legacy: The building remains on the Local List of Buildings of Historical or Architectural Interest, preserving the Victorian streetscape.

Newspaper Articles

Norwood News – Friday 14 March 1958

Croydon Express – Saturday 17 December 1910

MERTON. A.O.D.—The Merton Abbey Lodge of the Ancient Order of Druids, which holds its meetings at the “Royal Six Bells,” High-street, Collier’s-wood, Merton, gave an “open night” at that hostelry on Friday last, and a large and representative company Of Druids and their friends attended, amongst others being members of the Wimbledon, Merton,and Mitcham Councils. Noble Arch Birch presided, and Vice Arch Owen occupied the position of vice chairman. A splendid pro gramme had been arranged under the direction of P.A. Reeves, and the harmony was continued till a late hour. During the evening P.A. Nawton. the Patriarch of the Lodge, gave a brief address on “Druidism and its objects—justice, philanthropy, and brotherly love.”

Ordnance Survey maps are reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland, reuse CC-BY.

1865 OS map

1894 OS map

1911 OS map

1934 OS map

1950 OS map

1966 OS map

Raising the Ale Garland

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Raising the ale garland was an old custom that was revived by Youngs Brewery when they reopened rebuilt, or repaired, pubs after the Second World War. This was done when the Cricketers pub was reopened officially on 8th January 1956 for example.

A letter to the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, published on Wednesday 2nd January 1963, explained the custom:-

SIR,

— When a new inn was opened in Bristol earlier this year, the ancient custom of hoisting the ale-garland was observed. The accompanying photograph shows the garland hanging over the door of the house.

The custom has links with the Romans, who used a bush as their sign to advertise a tavern. Other references to the garland or bush are found over a long period of literature. For instance in 1603 a traveller records that he “spied a bush at the end of
a pole (the ancient badge of a country ale house ) “.

It is from this custom that the saying arose, “good wine needs no bush” —i.e., is advertisement enough for itself. The “bush” was often composed of ivy leaves, not only because of ivy’s lasting quality, but also because of Bacchus’ connection with ivy.”

Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD!

A longer explanation can be found in this article from the Lewisham Borough News, Tuesday 16th January 1951:

STORY OF THE ALE GARLAND
‘Conning The Brew’ In Ancient Times

By Stephen E. Hutchins

The hoisting of the ale garland in City and suburban taverns which is much observed about the New Year together with what is known as “ale conning” is regarded as the revival of a custom of the time of William the Conqueror and involves an expression of goodwill to all, and a kind of public protest against all sorts of vexatious regulations.

In olden days all garlands were to be seen outside all the inns at the festive season as a sign that fellowship and hospitality reigned within.

To “con the brew” is to sip at the mulled ale, the wassail bowl, and the ale posset, and the lambs wool — (meaning pulped roasted apples, sugar, nutmeg and ginger in warmed ale) — and pronounce it to be an excellent concoction.

The ale garland is usually displayed from a pole known as the “ale-stake” — in former days such ale-stakes had to be exhibited by inn-keepers to tell the travelling ale-conners that the new beers were ready to be tested.

The punishment for brewing poor beer was to be ducked in a pond in the ducking stool.

Under an Act of 1604 ale houses had to be inspected by constables to see if they were properly conducted and the object of the law was “to restrain inordinate tippling in inns and alehouses” and to confirm that the true use of the English inn was to relieve wayfarers and supply victuals, and not to entertain idle people and encourage them to spend their money.

Penny a Quart

Fines were levied by the constables and church wardens on people who indulged in drink for “an unreasonable time” and the money was given to the poor.

There was a fine of 5s. for being drunk and the alternative if the offender was unable to pay was to be awarded a spell in the stocks.

The price of the best ale was fixed at one penny a quart and “small” ale was one half penny a quart.

In 1614 the City had a thousand breweries with 40,000 barrels in their cellars. Beer was made at the back and sold for consumption in the front.

The old English ale was made from malt, yeast and water, and eventually beer flavoured with hops, called “hopping beer,” was brought in from Germany. This beverage became very popular.

Inns were often owned by the Church and we still have reminders of this in titles like the Seven Stars, the King and Keys, the Mitre and the Angel and “The Case is Altered” — the later signifying the period after the Reformation when the inns passed to other ownership.

Many inns were in the nature of hostels for pilgrims to the religious shrines. The poorest often received free hospitality and they were usually situated in a town near to the abbey or cathedral.

Among notable examples of this type of establishment may be listed the Falstaff of Canterbury, the “Star” at Alfriston, and the Pilgrims Rest beside Battle Abbey. The “Star” was a house of call for pilgrims travelling eastward to the noted Abbey at Battle and it was owned by the Monks of Battle.