Monday 2nd September 1889
Corton. Destructive Fire. The New Inn Burnt Down.
One of the most disastrous fires which has occurred in the neighbourhood for a long time broke out on Sunday night [1st September 1889] or early on Monday morning [2nd September 1889], and ended in the destruction of the New Inn public-house, occupied by Mr. Solomon.
The house was closed at ten o’clock on Sunday night, and it is stated that Mr. Solomon and the only two other inmates- two men who were in the neighbourhood picking apples – at once retired to rest. All then seemed safe, but at one o’clock Mr. Solomon was awoken by a stifling sensation, and on arousing himself found his bedroom full of smoke. He at once slipped on his trousers, and on opening the door found the staircase in flames. He alarmed the lodgers, and immediately proceeded to make his escape through the bedroom window in the front of the house. He climbed down the vine, underneath the window, but this gave way, and he fell to the ground, without, however, seriously injuring himself. The lodgers in the meantime made an equally speedy exit through their bedroom window at the rear of the house.
By this time the building was all in a blaze. One of the lodgers gave the alarm to a neighbour, and in a short time the whole village was astir, plenty of willing helpers being very quickly on the scene. They could do but little, however, to check the progress of the flames, as the only available water was that from an old pump in one of the out-houses, and this soon gave out.
Mr. Billett started to Warminster for the Fire Brigade, and on the men being aroused they were very quickly in readiness to start, under the direction of the Captain, Mr. Hurlstone. Some delay was occasioned in getting away owing to a difficulty in obtaining a second horse to go with Mr. H. Carter’s. At length Mr. E. Butcher kindly supplied the want and the Brigade reached the scene about four o’clock. Captain Helme’s steam engine was also present. It was at once seen that it would be impossible to save the inn, as it was entirely encompassed in flames. It was a very old house – said to be about three hundred years old – and contained a good deal of wood in which the fiery element found an easy prey. A good many of the walls, too, were built of chalky material, which soon gave way under the heat or the falling of the roof.
The Brigade, however, succeeded in saving the building which ran alongside the yard and was connected to the inn. This consisted of a kitchen, a small scullery, and a club room. On the left hand side lived Mr. Churchill, the owner of the inn, his house being only two or three yards away, and it was at one time feared that the fire would spread there. Water was poured continually on it, however, and it escaped, though the precaution was taken to get out all the furniture. The whole of the furniture of the inn was destroyed, but it was insured.
The house was rented by Messrs. G. and T. Baily, of the Lamb Brewery, Frome, and was insured in the Hand and Hand Fire Insurance Society. In addition to the furniture, Mr. Solomon lost a portion of the takings, which he was unable to get at, and his clothes, all his possessions when he escaped being his shirt and his trousers. The lodgers also lost their clothing. One of them hailed from Wylye, and the other from Westbury, and they were employed by Mr. Jones, of Westbury Leigh, gathering apples. The stock-in-trade included four barrels of beer, a cask of cider, and odd lots, and the whole was destroyed.
The Brigade remained at the scene of the fire till six o’clock, when it was practically out, though it smouldered throughout the day. A word of praise is due to the villagers, who exerted themselves most energetically. The cause of the fire is unknown, and Mr. Solomon says the only way in which he can account for it is that a match must have been thrown on the matting in the bar by a customer, that it smouldered for a time and then burst out, the adjoining old and very dry wainscotting easily ignited.