About Us
The White Hart Hotel is Grade 2 listed Georgian hotel in the centre of St Austell, Cornwall, a bustling town two miles from Cornwall’s south coast.
The History of the White Hart
Tucked in close to the old town’s heart, under the shadows of the church tower, The White Hart has long been St Austell’s foremost inn.
It has played a pivotal role in the St Austell Brewery estate since Walter Hicks bought it for £5000 in 1911 , a sum that matched its importance within the town and a whole £1000 more than he had previously offered when it went unsold at auction in 1908. Perhaps a Royal visit to the town and the hotel by His Majesty King Edward VII in 1909 persuaded Walter of its worth!
The History of the White Hart
As one of St Austell’s oldest inns , the White Hart was first recorded in the reign of William and Mary (1689-1702) and is mentioned at its former location in Fore Street - at the entrance to White River Place - in 1734, before being relocated to Church Street. Trading as a Posting House, business was brisk, especially as, from 1760, the new turnpike passed directly by its doors..
The current building dates from around 1769, It was a built as a town house for Mr Charles Rashleigh, a pre-eminent gentleman of the town and Charlestown’s founder, and it is likely that the building was converted to its current use upon his death in 1823.
Back to the early 1820s when Charles Rashleigh was still the owner of the house. Removed painstakingly by professionals from the Victoria & Albert Museum, the wallpaper was donated to the Museum soon afterwards, where it still resides today alongside a comprehensive account of the incident in a contemporary fashion magazine, Connoisseur, written by the landlord of the White Hart, one Dudley Walker.
Encouraged by this literary success, Dudley Walker went on to become a fully-fledged author, writing romantic novels under the pseudonym of Ewart Dudley based around West Country locations and including, in 1939, a fly-on-the-wall account of the ups and downs of running a Hotel, entitled The Spider’s Parlour, based around his experiences at the White Hart.
The History of the White Hart
Pigot’s Trade Directory of 1823 lists Elizabeth Price as proprietor of the Hotel in Church Street and in a travel guide for tradesmen written in 1824, FWL Stockdale writes that ‘The White Hart is an excellent house for Commercial Gentlemen.’ Trade was still so good in 1925 that Walter’s daughter and Brewery Director Hester Parnall added a third storey to the building, giving it the completed façade and dimensions you see today.
The White Hart continues to provide luxury accommodation at the heart of historic St Austell and forms a key part of the St Austell Brewery heritage in its home town.
Pets at The White Hart
Pets are allowed to stay in the hotel upon request*. To pre-arrange bringing your pet, get in touch. (*Additional fees may apply) Call today on: 01726 72100 Contact Us