8 St John Street

▪ Grade II* listed building (of more than special interest)

▪ It was built in the mid-18th century

▪ Location of the Green Man & Black’s Head Royal Hotel

▪ Attached sign bridging St John St

▪ Perhaps the town’s most important place for meetings/events

▪ The Wallises were proprietors for more than 50 years

▪ The hotel closed its doors in 2012

Number 8, The Green Man & Black’s Head Hotel, is on the south side of the street towards its western end between the former Marquis of Granby (left) and Blue Bell (right) pubs. There is also an attached Inn sign bridging St John St.

The name Green Man is derived from the “Jack in the Green” tradition associated with May Day procession in which a person dresses up in foliage. Dr Samuel Johnson, who wrote the first comprehensive/standard English dictionary (1755), visited here with his friend Dr John Taylor (Life of Samuel Johnson by JamesBoswell, 1791).

The Building

The Grade II* listed building is mid-18^th century of red brick with a tiled roof. It has three storeys with seven windows on the first and second floors and five windows and a square-headed arch to a courtyard on the ground floor. All windows have plain lintels and sills, and sashes with glazing bars. Above the arch at the rear, there is a moulded wooden bay window. The "gallows" inn sign bridging the street, which is painted iron and wood, is one of the few remaining in Britain.

The History of its Occupation and Use

The first mention of the Green Man found thus far is 1757 (see below left) and it was a regular venue for auctions advertised in the Derby Mercury from an early date (1759). It also hosted meetings of the trustees of the Derby to Ashbourne to Hurdloe House turnpike (toll) road from 1778-83 and then from about 1817 until the 1870s when this turnpike trust was discontinued (see example from 1778 below right). Derby to Ashbourne is the present day A52 and Ashbourne to Hurdloe House is the A515. Hurdloe House is now known by the name Bull i’ t’ Thorn.

After 1825, when the Blackmoor’s/Black’s Head Inn, at 14-20 St John St, closed, it became known as the “Green Man and Black’s Head Hotel”. John Wood, the proprietor of the Green Man at the time made 14-16 St John St his home which perhaps explains the amalgamation of the names of the two inns.

From around 1833, it became known as the “Green Man and Black’s Head Royal Hotel”after Princess Victoria visited in the early 1830s.

Prior to 1858, the Green Man was the venue for the “Petty Session House” (County Magistrates Court) and in the 1870s-90s was the inland revenue or excise office. It also hosted Ashbourne Balls, some of which were more formal with a patron and steward while others were commercial:

Long time proprietors were:

·     William Killingley from no later than 1759 until 1781. It was Mrs Killingley that had entertained Dr Samuel Johnson and James Boswell

·     The Wallis family: Robert from before 1841 until 1870, and Fanny, his wife, from 1871 until the late 1890s

·     John Carriss Prince from 1908 until the mid-1930s.

The adjacent 10 St John St became part of the Green Man as a restaurant in the 1960s(?).

The Green Man closed its doors in 2012 but after development re-opened in 2018. Young Ideas currently occupies east side of the ground floor (and 10 St John St) while the Greenman pub and restaurant is at the back in the courtyard on the west side.

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