Burford Bridge Hotel

Burford Bridge Hotel is a historic hotel in the village of Mickleham, Surrey, England. It is to the south of Leatherhead and north of Dorking at the foot of Box Hill on the River Mole. It is now owned by Mercure Hotels.

History

Captain Horatio Nelson

The Hotel was founded in 1254 as the 'Fox and Hounds', and parts of the existing hotel date back to 16th century. In 1882 the hotel become the Hare & Hounds (commonly known then as the Burford Bridge) when in 1905, Surrey Public Trust purchased it from Sir Trevor Lawrence, it changed permanently to the Burford Bridge Hotel, later merging with Trusthouses in 1948.

On a fresh November day the young poet, John Keats escaped from London and took a room overlooking the gardens and found inspiration to complete his epic poem ‘Endymion’ on 28 November 1817.

The beauty to be found in this small section of Surrey did not inspire John Keats alone. It provided sanctuary for many visitors weighed down by their responsibilities of the World: Queen Victoria, Jane Austen. Wordsworth, Sheridan and Robert Louis Stevenson have all frequented the Burford Bridge over the years.

It was here too that Lord Nelson spent secret hours with his love Emma Hamilton, before going to vanquish Napoleon's fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar, during which Admiral Nelson met his untimely death.

The 16th century Medieval Tithe Barn with beams allegedly from ships of the Spanish Armada was re-erected adjoining the hotel in 1934. Before that it was originally in the neighbouring village of Abinger Hammer. In the same year that the Burford Bridge acquired the Tithe Barn the outdoor swimming pool was opened.

The Garden Bedrooms were built in 1973 and adjoin the main Hotel.

External links

• Map sources for Burford Bridge Hotel
• An excellent description of the Burford Bridge Hotel as it existed in 1913–1914 can be found in Nathaniel Newnham-Davis's Gourmet's Guide to London (1914).