11 High Street - History

Thai Lanna - Stone is fortunate to ocupy a interesting historic building in the heart of Stone, Staffordshire.

Research is in its early phase and some of the following could be inacurate. There is contradictory evidence on the internet, so corrections /clarifications may take some time. If anyone out there is able to add anything related to 11 High Street, please contact me at kevin@thailanna.co.uk.

The property is on the corner of High Street and Christchurch Way but this has only been the case since 1995 when the rear half of the bulding, former stables and some adjacent properties were demolished and the new 'Stone bypass' built.

Sometime in the early 1800's, the southern half of the High Street was called Market Street.

Age of the building

The true age of the building is currently unknown.

Originally it was called the Falcon Inn, and sometimes the Falcon, or post 1900, the Falcon Hotel.
The architectural features at the front of the building indicate that it was built in the 1860-70s.
It can be seen clearly on the 1880 map of Stone.
There are references to a Falcon pub in the 1828-29 'Pigot's Directory of Staffordshire' under 'Taverns & Public Houses', but this needs to be researched further.
There are references to a Mortgage of the Falcon Inn, Stone in 1841.
There is a reference to the auction of freehold of the Falcon Inn, Stone on the 15th March 1800.

Evidence seems to be pointing to a 18th Century or older building called the Falcon Inn existed prior to the current building. Brickwork at the rear of the property and in the cellar appears to be much older, indicating that the property was re-faced or re-built in the second half of the 19th Century. Reports of stables at the rear of the property (no longer there) indicate that The Falcon inn was probably one of Stone's historic coaching Inns.

Known Owners

Period	Owner	Notes
TBD to 1902	Montgomery & Co (brewers)	There is evidence that Montgomery & Co were the owners of the Falcon Inn in 1891.
1902 to 1970	Bents Brewery	In 1967 Bents Brewery aquired Montogomery and 23 tied houses after winning a court case over the use of the name 'Stone Ale'.
1970 to 1984	Bass Charrington - Bass Limited - Bass Holdings Limited.	Bass Charrington aquired Bents Brewery and tied houses. A Conveyance in 1970 indicates the High St end of the building was an Off License. Alex and Judy ran the Falcon from 1973 to1980.
1984 to 1986	Neville Weston Edwards and Little	Local knowlege reports it was known as the Dolls House Nightclub and later Parker No 7 nightclub.
July 1986	The Co-operative Bank
1986 to 1988	Neville Weston Edwards	No information
1988 to 1997	Staffordshire County Council	1993 Change of Use to Offices & Storage 1995 Leased to D J Borgman and V J Lester - 'Changes Nightspot'.
1997 to 2001	Automated Transfers Limited	1997 Change of Use to Restaurant & Flat. Leased to 'Pierre Victoire' franchised Restaurant chain. Leased to 'The Foundation Restaurant'. 2001 Leased to 'Thai Welcome Restaurant'.
2001 to 2007	Pirom Urairat	'Thai Welcome Restaurant'.
2007 to now	Mr & Mrs Denis	'Thai Lanna Restaurant'.

The Falcon Inn, Stone hosted the Annual Goosbery Show from 1860 to 1901. "The carts were cleared out of the yard and tressle tables set up with white cloths..."

One of the best known 'events' was the murder of 28-year-old Ada Mary Strefford by her 24-year-old husband William and his subsequent suicide in the cellar in February 1891.