Tring railway station: The former Royal Hotel

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 8 Oct 2007

This month (October 2007) is the 170th anniversary of the coming of the railway line to Tring in October 1837. Since the station is about 3 kilometres from the centre of Tring, there was a need for a hotel and a posting house and this structure was consequently built around 1838. The hotel was originally the Harcourt Arms, but fairly rapidly (between 1845 and 1851) became the Royal. Demand for this sort of facility probably declined with the advent of motor transport and it is no longer a hotel. From the 1881 Census, transcribed by the Church of Latter Day Saints, the hotel keeper was one Samuel Brown, aged 35, born Cheford Fitzpaine, Dorset. His wife was Jane M Brown, aged 32, born Stoke Prior, Worcestershire. Other residents included their son Ernest S Brown, aged 11, one cook, one chambermaid, one barmaid, one ostler, one waiter, and one post boy. The building is Grade II Listed.

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