Name: Beef Steak Inn (aka Grove Inn)
Address: 25 Higher Walton Road, Walton-le-Dale
The Beef Steak Inn had a short-lived existence as a beerhouse appearing between 1861 and 1901 on census records. Starting out in life as the Grove Inn, census records originally record its location as being New Road (or Walton New Road), but by1901 it was listed as 25 Higher Walton Road after the road was renamed.
It was close to the junction with Church Brow and the Corn Mill, and its early existence as the Grove Inn is referenced on the website of St Patrick's Church website below, and shows what an important part it played in the parish's early years.
OPENING OF ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH, WALTON-LE-DALE (1880)
Tomorrow (Sunday) this church, which has been in course of erection a little over twelve months, and is now completed, will be opened for public service. The church will be a great boon to the Catholics of the locality, who have had to bear many inconveniences in the school-chapel, which has been used as a place of worship for upwards of 20 years. It is now 25 years since the mission was opened, and for several years the Grove Inn, New-road, was used as a chapel and priest’s house. The school accommodation will now be considerably increased for the Catholics of Walton, and will be ample for many years to come.
So, we know the Grove Inn predates 1865 and reference is made to it in 1870 before the current church was built, in the Preston Chronicle on 17th December. This documents the history of the small Catholic Chapel attached to the school, that was built in 1857.
WALTON-LE-DALE CATHOLIC CHAPEL. Perhaps 350 yards on the eastern side of the village of Walton-le-Dale, 15 yards beyond that very substantial. sounding hostelry, the Beef Steak Inn, and closely adjoining the high road running between Lower and Higher Walton, there stands the plain little Catholic Chapel of St. Patrick... The nucleus of the present mission was formed not many years ago. A club room in the Grove Inn originally constituted the Catholic chapel of the district, and a small building adjoining, at one time used as a stable, was its school. If this was not beginning at the bottom of the ladder, we should -like to know where the bottom of that said ladder is. On the 29th of June, 1857, the foundation stone of the present school chapel was laid, by the Rev. Father Smith, of Brindle, who was the originator of the mission. He is of the O.S.B. order, which, according to the "O.I.S.E." theory, may be thus translated-"Order of Saint Benedict," and the mission at Walton was established under the auspices of, and is now in connection with, that section of the Catholic Church. On the 20th of December, 1857, the building was opened, and of its kind it is a very good one; but with this serious drawback, that it stands too low, is exceedingly damp at times, and is liable to be flooded in some parts, owing to the backwatering of sewers, when the Darwen is " out." In one of the lateral portions of the building there is generally, in wet wintry weather, two or three feet of water, and this, by even the most teetotal members of the congregation, is objected to. The chapel-we will give it that name for the sake of shortness and simplicity-is nearly out of sight: it is flanked with houses, the aforesaid Beef Steak Inn doing its share in the work of obnubilation-we recommend that word to the kindly consideration of the proprietor; it is fronted by houses, the chief one in the row being that in which the resident priest lives; and it is not by any means in the right place for such a building. In external appearance it is very mildly ornamental-cs of Gothic design, with various side gables, &c. The building is of brick, with stone facings, and if not very elaborate it is as an edifice fairly substantial. Beyond it, and running clear up a very steep hill, there is the burial ground. A large stone cross occupies a position near the centre of it, and on each side of the front there are numerous graves, kept in creditable order, and having in many cases neat, substantial head stones. The burial ground is about one statute acre in extent, was opened on the 29th of May, 1881, and prior to that time was called, " Monks' Meadow; " the inference being that it was formerly part of the abbey lands of Whalley, and was in some way associated with the Cistercians of that place. At the top of the burial ground-in the north western corner-there is a nice space of ground, which would serve admirably for the site of a church; the ground being dry, and the position most commanding. This, and not the damp, hidden hollow at the base of the ground, is really the place for such a building; and it could be approached with comparative ease by a winding road on the south eastern side. There is a fine view of the scenery of the district from the high ground we have just mentioned. The valley of the Darwen stretches out quietly in the foreground; far away up, and rising with a clear dark line against the horizon, the brow of Hoghton Tower appears ; whilst in the opposite direction, to the west, the woodland scenery of Penwortham, curiously relieved, at rapid intervals, with long level lines of steam from passing railway engines, fills up the landscape. The whole of the land belonging to the mission) including the burial ground, a plot on one side of it,, and that upon which the chapel, &c., stands, is about three statute acres in extent; and the entire sum spent thus far upon it may: be, set down at about £2,800,of which about £1,300 remains unpaid. The chapel, when you enter it by the principal door on the eastern side, has a very long, narrow, and somewhat shadowy appearance; and it is quite clear, when you look at the opposite wall, that there are some attending the place who are either very excellent sleepers or very fond of hair oil; for the wall is dotted with black marks made by people leaning their heads against it, and the effect, if not artistic, is at any rate clear and striking. The building has an open pointed roof, 30ft. from the floor to the apex; is 103ft. long; 18ft. broad; and will accommodate about 800 persons. The walls are plain, and are pierced on the eastern side with five strong windows filled in with heavy opaque glass. In the roof there are several dormer windows of a triangular shape; but owing to their smallness, they do not throw much light into the edifice. There are three and twenty ventilators in the building, and if they do not keep up a correct temperature for the people, and give a proper supply of oxygen to them, then their case is rather desperate. The sanctuary at the northern end looks dull and plain; but then it is only an improvised affair ; was fitted up at the beginning in a temporary style; the idea being, that so long as it was only intended to serve until something better could be obtained, that as the building would ultimately be set apart entirely for what it was originally intended - a school - and that as a church would in the end be substituted for it, there would be little wisdom in making its embellishment anything very costly. The altar is, under the circumstances, neat looking; it is backed by a moderately decorated wall, is surmounted by a framed painting of our Saviour, and flanked by statues of the Virgin and St. Joseph. There are two services, morning and afternoon, at the chapel on a Sunday, and the average attendance at each will be about 250. The congregation consists entirely of working people, including a very considerable sprinkling of young females, rather largely enamoured of roses, feathers, and captivating head-gearing. But all who attend, young and old, appear to be a very orderly, devout class, and, considering their means, they assist very creditably and liberally the mission to which they are attached. The members of the choir have their quarters in a diminutive gallery, at the far end of the chapel. Four of them-females-sit on one side; and three of the males-on the other; whilst the central part is taken up by the organist. The singing of the females is very creditable; and that of the other members is good, but it is defective in power. The organ is a good one, but it is fixed too low down-is partially buried-and this operates against the fullness and clearness of its music. It is played by an elderly gentleman with ever so much taste; but both would look more imposing, and acquit themselves-more excellent, if they were "a little higher up in the world " There have been four priests stationed at the mission since it was opened ; their order being as follows: Rev. Fathers J. Proctor, W. L Fleming, T. Carroll, and J. E. Poole. The last named gentleman is the present resident priest, and he has been at the place nearly three years. Father Poole is a small, active, industrious priest; is sharp in temperament, red in hair, humble in spirit, earnest in promoting the interests of his district, a hater of dear gas-thinks 6s. 6id. per 1,000 for it in Walton an awful thing; has worked vigorously for the mission, and reduced its debt considerably; has the organ of wonder largely developed; often says " my word" by way of exclamation; can't be inactive; must be doing something, or thinking about something for the benefit of the place; has no pride in him; believes oysters are nutritious ; and is much thought of by his flock. He was born at Liverpool in 1.819; studied at Ampleforth College, in Yorkshire; was ordained in 1845; began his clerical life as second priest at Warrington; then went to Whitehaven; then to Maryport; and came to Walton-le-dale in February, 1868. He is a good preacher-not eloquent, not very rhetorical in style, but full of sense plain and Christian charity. He makes long pauses in the earlier portions of his sermons; seems to be thinking much about the matter; holds his hands well before him; then increases in speed; opens his hands a little; increases still more in speed; gets his hands released; and eventually speaks out rapidly, energetically, pointedly; and, on the whole, preaches very practically. He is quiet, homely, and sociable in the outer world; and never gets into "hot water," though always a Poole. There are day and Sunday schools in connection with the mission, and the work of them is conducted in a portion of the chapel buildings, under the excellent supervision of Mr. Joseph Turner, the master. The average week-day attendance is about 60; and on Sundays it ranges a little above that figure. The schools are in a very fair state of efficiency; and during this generation and the next there need be no fear-taking the entire buildings into consideration-of defective accommodation. The mission wants church and not school facilities; accommodation for men and women rather than for juveniles ; and if Father Poole could only live to see the day when he had a church at the top of the hill he would be happy, even if gas were 10s. 6d. 1,000, and bivalves, however nutritious they may be, had gone to sleep in their own native beds for ever.
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| 1841 and 1909 OS Map Comparison |
The map comparisons above confirm the site of the inn and how it eventually became part of a residential street over the course of 50 years or so. The school built just behind it, which included the early chapel is evident in the 1909 map, and this map also helps confirm that not only did the Grove Inn become the Beef Steak Inn, but the building was later demolished in the early 1900s to build the Victoria Hotel.
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| 1861 Census John King - Grove Inn |
Listed landlords at the inn were John King (1861), Philip Clifton (1865), Thomas Parkinson (1867), John Walsh (1871-91), John Hartley Cookson (1891) and Henry & Maria Snape (1901).
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| Preston Chronicle Saturday, Aug. 12, 1865 |
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE
WALTON-LE-DALE PETTY SESSIONS
These sessions were held yesterday, at the police court, Walton village, before E. Rodgett, Esq. A beerseller was heavily fined, Thomas Parkinson, landlord of the Grove Inn beerhouse, New Road.
Published: Saturday 13 July 1867
Newspaper: Preston Chronicle
Following the above publicity of the court case it is my suspicion that the owners decided to give the beerhouse a new lease of life, renaming it, the Beef Steak Inn.
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| 1871 Census John Walsh Beef Steak Inn |
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Preston Chronicle Saturday, May 27, 1871
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1909 OS Map
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| 1881 Census John Walsh |
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| 1891 Census John Hartley Cookson |
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| Preston Chronicle 1890s |
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| 1901 Census Henry & Maria Snape |
Henry Snape was brought up in Walton-le-Dale, his father Matthew working in the cotton mills, but by the age of 23 he had married and was living on Blue Bell Yard in Preston managing the 'Coffee Tavern'. Whether or not this was a licensed premises remains unclear, as 10 years later they'd moved to Brook Street and he was working as a grocer, but he certainly had an interest in the licensed trade, and by 1911 he was landlord at the Market Hotel on Tithebarn Street.
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