The Bell Inn, built around 1440, has been a principal inn in Castle Hedingham since at least 1592 when it was listed on Israel Amyce’s map of the village.

Throughout the centuries, The Bell has performed many functions.  In addition to providing beer, food, lodgings and entertainment, The Bell was a major staging post on the London to Bury St Edmunds route from 1785 until 1847.  The extensive stabling (post house and coach house including stalls for 18 horses) partially remains as can be evidenced by the lock-up cartlodge and the garages to the rear of the car park.

On the first floor of the pub is a magnificent Georgian ‘Long Room’, purpose built to accommodate meetings and balls in the village and variously used over the years as an auction house, a magistrate’s court, a billiards room, a theatre, a banqueting hall, a soldier's room, an antiques shop, a youth club and a live music venue.*

In 1884, Walter Gray purchased The Bell and it has remained a Gray & Sons pub ever since with very few structural alterations over the past century.

Hamish and Sandra Ferguson took the tenancy on in 1967 and their two daughters, Penny and Kylie, passed their early years playing in empty Liebfraumilch boxes and collecting bottle tops.  This soon progressed to earning pocket money by polishing the tables and returning empties for refunds which kept them in peanuts.   Other occupations were available, however, which in their case resulted in motherhood and a stint in Fleet Street.

Then, in 1999, Penny and Kylie made the decision to take guardianship of The Bell following Sandra’s retirement and so became the current tenants.  Murat, Kylie's husband, has been involved in all things food at The Bell since 1991, from fish barbecues to authentic Turkish homestyle cuisine and, more recently, the most amazing Turkish pizzas.

Whilst an awful lot has changed over the years – in particular: eating and drinking habits, expectations, laws, technology, trends and single use glass bottles, the essence of The Bell, thankfully, continues to endure.  

*And, soon to be the home of pub museum, ‘The Long Room at The Inn'.