Facts and places of interest in Stony Stratford

Interesting Facts about Stony Stratford

• Stony Stratford expanded during the Norman era and by the late Middle Ages was a large settlement with major markets and fairs in Market Square and Horsefair Green.

• Henry VIII visited Stony Stratford several times in 1525 , 1531 and 1540 and Charles I visited the town several times during the Civil War.

• In May 1644 the region's last major Civil War skirmish was fought in the town.

• In the 17 th and 18 th centuries the town grew again and was a stopping place for coach traffic.

• Stony Stratford was one of the most important coaching towns in the 18th century being on the London to Liverpool route. The High Street still contains many of the coaching from this time, including The Cock and The Bull (see below); it was in these coach houses that travellers competed to tell the most outrageous stories and it is from here that the saying a ‘cock and bull' story comes from.
• Due to a fire in 1742 much of the town was burnt down with the loss of many of the 17 th and 18 th century buildings. Buildings in the High Street now predominantly date from the 18 th and 19 th century.

• The introduction of the railway killed the coaching trade but trade again increased with railway workers living in Stony Stratford and working in nearby Wolverton.

• In 1882 the bell destined for St Paul 's Cathedral , 'Great Paul', was hauled through Stony Stratford on its way to London .
  
  
  

Places of Interest in and around Stony Stratford

Ouse Valley Park

The Ouse Valley Park with its Wildlife Conservation Area was created at about the time of the construction of the A5 Diversion route.

Restaurants  

There are a good range of restaurants in Stony Stratford High Street and many of the hotels and inns provide entertainment in the evening.

Inns and Hotels

The Cock Hotel

The Cock Hotel is the largest old coaching inn in Stony Stratford with a long history. The inn is named after the landlord, John Cok, in 1480.

The Bull  

The great fire of 1742 started at The Bull Inn destroying most of the lower town including St Mary's church.

The George Hotel  

The George Hotel is situated in the historic High Street of Stony Stratford and is one of the oldest inns in the town centre and dates back to 1609.