The Duke of Wellington, showing the original Regency front with the Lovelace wings on either side. The diamond shape between the arches reads “To Ockham & Ripley” with an arrow beneath
Image: HCPS

The original village inn was called The Greyhound and became The Crown after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. At first it faced the village street, but Lord Lovelace’s predecessor had it rebuilt by Charles Barrie and turned around to face the new Turnpike Road (opened in 1758), which was by then seeing an increasing amount of traffic. It was renamed The Duke of Wellington after the hero of the day.

When Lord Lovelace bought the estate he added two new wings to it, one at each end, in 1864, giving it the full “Lovelace treatment” with brick and flint, metal windows and embellishing friezes of terracotta tiles incorporating badges of various Surrey Regiments as well as shields showing his family’s heraldic devices.

Until the opening of Horsley Station in 1886 “The Duke” became a small coaching inn with coaches leaving early every morning for The Spur Inn, Borough High Street, in London and returning every evening. Twice a week a wagon went up to London via Epsom and there was a daily service to Guildford. When Leatherhead Station opened in 1868 a wagonette went there each morning and evening.

The summer house in the garden, possibly the ostler's room
Image: HCPS

The inn had three guest bedrooms and behind it was stabling for six horses and somewhere in the yard were two small cottages where two coachmen and an ostler lived and also three pigsties. A small single-storey room served as the ticket office for people wishing to use the coach.

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