Location: 145, Thame Road in Warborough
The Cricketers Arms stood on Thame Road in Warborough and was one of the Parish’s later-established public houses. A datestone set into the building records 1747 as its year of construction. The house was built of stone, with brick dressings to the window surrounds and corner quoins. A prominent stone chimney rose from the front left of the building.
The name Cricketers Arms appears to have been adopted in 1864, when Edwin Tripp took over the business. This coincides with his close association with Warborough Cricket Club and is supported by the Post Office Directory of that year, which records the premises under that name for the first time. Prior to this, the house operated as a beer house and, until 1899, was not licensed to sell wine or spirits.
The Cricketers Arms ceased trading in June 2009 and is now a private residence with an additional house erected in what was the carpark.
For much of the nineteenth century, and possibly from its beginnings, the Cricketers Arms was owned or operated by members of the Tripp family. Little is known of Richard Tripp, who died in 1840, but he appears in the Oxford Herald in 1839 as making regular use of the wharf at Shillingford for the transport of wheat and barley.
John Tripp applied for a licence to sell wine and spirits in 1844. His application to be fully licensed was refused:
Oxford Journal, 7th September 1844
John Tripp (born 1794), Richard’s successor, married Sarah of nearby Newington and combined the running of the beer house with his trade as a butcher. In 1844, he applied for a licence to sell wine and spirits but was refused.
He was also involved in a protracted dispute over tolls at Shillingford Wharf, arguing for free access to buy and sell produce for brewing. This dispute was reported in the Oxford Herald in March 1839, in the case of Henry Webb v. John Tripp.
Oxford Herald, March 1839
The 1841 census lists that he and his wife, Sarah, had seven children. He died,1846 and is buried in St. Laurence churchyard.
Oxford Chronicle & Reading Gazette, 26th December 1846
Although contemporary newspaper reports stated that he left “seven orphan children”, his widow Sarah Tripp continued to run the beer house. By the 1851 census, she is recorded as head of the household, with two nephews and a niece living at the property. Among them were Charles and Edwin Tripp, both listed as butchers. Edwin would later take over the premises and formally name it the Cricketers Arms.
Sarah does not appear to have any of her seven previously listed children living at home although there is a Jane, listed as niece, who would have been the same age and name as her daughter.
Sarah Tripp appears several times in local newspapers for breaches of licensing regulations, including permitting out-of-hours drinking. Despite these incidents, she remained in charge of the business until the early 1860s. The 1861 census lists her as beer-keeper and housekeeper, with Edwin Tripp, now married to Rebecca, recorded as head of household.
Sarah is mentioned in newspapers for out-of-hours drinking and in pursuing a Thomas Hunt, below:
Banbury Guardian, 15th January 1850
Oxford Times, 28th April 1866
Oxford Times, 7th July 1866
Between the 1871 and 1881 censuses, the premises is described formally as an inn, reflecting changes in census recording requirements.
On 9 October 1877, the property was mortgaged by Thomas Edward Field and Henry William Field of Shillingford Brewery to Charles Henry Anderson and the Reverend J. D. Anderson for the sum of £2,000. The mortgage was surrendered on 4th January 1892, by Thomas Edward Field and George Holborn Morland. An Award of Enfranchisement was declared on 17th June 1895. In 1889, with Morland’s Brewery acquired a controlling interest from T E Field and Shillingford Brewery.
It was just after this acquisition by Morland’s Brewery that Edwin died in February 1891. An obituary recorded his cricketing career and character:
Edwin’s estate left £277 15s 11d to his wife, He was buried in St. Laurence churchyard.
The Cricketers Arms carried on trading by his wife, Rebecca. The census lists her as head of household, butcher and publican.
Rebecca ran the Cricketers Arms until her death in September 1898. She is also buried in St Laurence churchyard. Her will stated that she left £448 8s, and this was divided between some of her children.
Cricketers Arms, Thame Road, 1900
The tenancy passed in 1899 to Charles Oliver Swell and his wife Eliza, who are recorded in the 1901 census as head of household, butcher and publican. In later censuses of 1911 and 1921, Charles is listed as a carrier and publican, reflecting a gradual shift in occupation.
Charles O. Swell, Carrier, dated 1925
In 1922, Charles Swell successfully applied to transfer the licence of the George Inn in Shillingford to the Cricketers Arms, This allowed him:
to apply for and to hold an Excise License to sell by retail any intoxicating liquor for the consumption either on or off the premises known by the sign of “The George” and situate in the Parish of Warborough aforesaid from such premises to a certain house and premises situate at Warborough aforesaid and now known and to be known by the sign of the “Cricketers Arms”.
Berks & Oxon Advertiser, 20th January 1922
Charles’s application to transfer the license from the George Inn to the Cricketers was heard in April 1922, and was publishes as follows:
Oxfordshire Weekly News,12th April 1922
His wife Eliza died in 1924 and is buried in St Laurence Churchyard. Charles remarried in 1925, to Daisy Belcher.
Charles Swell died in 1936, leaving an estate of £498 5s 3d to Daisy. In 1939, Daisy married Francis Frederick Townsend, and together they ran the Cricketer’s Arms until 1957. The house continued as a public house under successive tenants throughout the later twentieth century.
Fred, Daisy and Kathleen Townsend
Viewed from Thame Road towards Greet Hall, 1945
Late 1990’s, known simply as the Cricketers
The Cricketers Arms finally ceased trading in June 2009. The building has since been converted into a private residence, with an additional house constructed on the former car park.
Conversion to a private dwelling, c 2015
Publicans & Tenants:
Richard Tripp Died 1840
John Tripp 1839-1846
Sarah Tripp(wife) 1846-1863
Edwin Tripp 1864-1890
Rebecca Tripp 1891-1898
Charles O Swell 1899-1936
FF & Daisy (nee Swell) Townsend 1937-1957
Frederick T Sherrat 1957-1969
Norman V Chasney 1969-1975
Alan & Wendy Tinkler 1975-1981
N J Owen 1982-1984
Philip & Jean Bentley 1985-1986
E R Durrant 1987-1987
Anthony & Rene Hughes 1987-1993
Stephen & Sharon Kirby 1994-1996
Patricia Barton & Laura Rosier1997-1997
John Piggott & Lyn Richards 1998-1999
Anthony & Rene Hughes 1999-2002
Leo & Maria Baleato-Sanchez 2003-2004
Ian & Debbie McInally 2005-2007
Jamie & Claire Whitbread 2008-2009
Ceased Trading 2009
Researched by David Seymour, January 2026