The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1898-01-21
A HISTORICAL LANDMARK.
Headquarters of the Blackheath High
waymen In the Eighteenth Century.

HEADQUARTERS Oh Cne DlackHeAth
waymen In the Eighteenth Century.
Another old London landmark is
about to be swept away. This is the
famous Brockley Jack public house,
which has been one of the best known
places on the Brockley road any time
during this last 500 years. 1t is believed
to have been erected about the reign of
the third Edward, and then and for
many years afterward it was the only
house in the neighborhood. At first it
was private residence, but some time
in the sixteenth century it became
house of public entertainment and has
continued so up to the present time. 1t
is now the oldest licensed house in the
county of Kent, and there are only one
or two of greater antiquity in London
itself. 1t was at the commencement Of
the last century, however, that the
house achieved it's greatest notorlety.
At that time Blackheath was infested
by desperate gang Of highwaymen,
who found convenient headquarters at
this lonely roadside inn. They were
commercially minded, businesslike
gang, to whom chivalry and romance
were utter strangers.
At that period the adjacent village of
Ladywell was noted for its medicinal
springs, and many visitors journeyed
thither to drink the healing waters.
These were, of course, principally
wealthy people, and they were in great
request as victims for the bold knights
of the road who sailed forth from their
we'll known headquarters under the
leadership of a notorious outlaw named
Brockley Jack, whose name has since
been adopted as the sign of the house.
This desperate gang disappeared before
advancing civilization, and a widely
different custom has sprung up at the
old inn. 1t became the objective Of
southeast London's Monday morning
walk, and on high holidays 1t was al
ways the scene of merrymaking. An
extremely old print represents a Christ
mas revel outside this house, with rus
tics gamboling under the old tree be-
meath which the highwaymen used to
uuaff their wine and play pitch and toss
! with the goldpiecqs among ti3fir booty
! 1t is even said that they used to tosF
golden coins into the tree, and that
when the tree decayed half tankard
full of gold coins was collected by a
former landlord from the interior OF
the trunk. In his latter days the Brock
lev Jack has lived down its evil reputa-
ton. A few months ago the property
was sold to firm of brewers with an
important reservation, and they are re-
snOnsible for the removal of the old
place. The reservation was the sign
board, which the owners Of the house
declined to part with at any price. Ihls
signboard, which is fastened on the old
tree in front of the house, is made out
of the blade bone of horse believed to
have been ridden by one Of the old high
waymen, and this grewsome relic Will
soon be all that is lett of the Old Brock
lev Jack. The house has been shored
up and added to, the original thatcheo
roof removed aud the whole of the
buildings rooted with red tiles, b9'
even this new covering belongs to al
ont of date age Inside the house, how
ever. evidences of antiquity abound
The wooden walls, covered Oh the out
side with modern match wood, are plas
tered with a composition of clay anC
hav, and the woodwork is so hard thai
a nail can scarcely be driven into it
Curious dark and narrow passages ruI
between the rooms, and until few
wears ago. when modern staircase wa!
introduced the upper part OF the house
was divided into two parts, connected
by drawbridge which could be raised
thus completely isolating the two parts
The height of the rooms clearly ndl
cafes that the house was built for
smaller race of people than now exists
Most of the ceilings are less than 81
feet from the ground, and III many o
the rooms an ordinary sized man Is IN
able to stand upright. 1t is at presen
a curious mixture of ancient ana mod
ern. Bicycles, with the latest improve
ments, are to be seen leaning agains
the medieval timbers of some n1 tn
sheds, and the smoke from the rallwa,
engine passes over the decaying trees
Black and White.