Angel Inn

From the Belper Historical Society Collection

The earliest written reference to The Angel is from 1811 when the landlord is listed in Holden’s trade directory as Samuel Spencer, but it clearly pre-dates that time. By 1881 it was owned and run by the Milward family.  The Angel had a thatched roof and jutted out into the village green, which became the town’s Market Place as Belper grew in size.

The Strutt Nightwatchmen’s Reports of 1833-6 mention the Angel Inn. On October 12^th 1833, “Joseph Salt came out of John Alldread’s, making a great noise.” John Alldread was the landlord at the time. Another Sunday morning at 1am he was seen ‘admitting 8 or 10 low characters’ into his house.

Edwin Richard Milward was landlord at the close of the 19^th century – this photograph taken during his tenure sees the building in good order, before it rapidly declined as the 20^th century began. It lost its license, but the Angel survived until 1922, when it was demolished.

On the left are small shops and workshops which were demolished in 1911 and replaced with Angel House, which still stands at the junction with High Pavement. On the right is The King’s Head (not to be confused with the Old King’s Head on Days Lane). This was also owned by the Milward family in its final years. The core of the building is now part of the range of houses and shop on the south side of the Market Place.