Market Place, Market Tavern (Jolly Farmers)

There were once six pubs in Houghton's Market Place. The Market Tavern stood on Gilbert Place. It was renamed the Jolly Farmers before 1861. In 1861 George Bell was the landlord. The next landlords were Arthur and Sarah Ann Smith. In 1894 George Haswell was the victualler and a farmer. In 1901, 1904 and 1911 John Wheatley was the publican. John Wheatley was a confectioner. In the 1930s when the annual Houghton Feast fairground was underway in the Market Place, the showmen were allowed to use the wash house of the Jolly Farmers Inn. In the mid 1950s the Jolly Farmers was a Vaux house, managed by Robert Hunter. Gilbert Street was demolished probably in the 1960s. The address of the pub became No. 9 Market Place. In the 1980s it was managed by Pauline Charlton and Dave Cave. The name was changed to the Spring Inn. The Spring Inn closed in 2009. It was advertised for sale in 2011.