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sun inn (1)

Penn Way

 

Probably the first record of the property that would become the Sun Inn is the 1633 Survey of Kingston which recorded "Reynold Courtney and Joan his wife and Giles their son hold by indenture dated 14 May 1609 granted by Edward late lord Stourton in consideration of the surrender of a lease and a fine of 40s, a cottage with garden and plot of ground in Kingston [the manor, not the street] called Pennway; to hold for the lives of Reynold mort, Joan his wife mort, and Giles 40 their son. Rent 12d."

A lease dated 4 April 1673 between Sir William Stourton and John Cary of Bridport, Gent, refers to a "Messuage or dwelling house called The Sun now used as a common Inn with a garden plot within the Manor of Kingston near Yeovil at a place called Penn Way was in occupation of Elizabeth Cary, widow Dec’d, now of John Cary held in consideration of the deaths of William Forward and John Bullocke for 99 years on the lives of John Cary, Ruth Cary, wife of John Cary."

 In his will of 1736 (proved in 1741), Jeremiah Hayne wrote "... my Dwelling House called the Sun and the Close or parcel of Land behind the same ...".

Penn Way, also known as Penneway, appears to have been a small lane crossing a couple of narrow fields before becoming the path across present day Wyndham Hill which commenced close to the Newton Road site of the later Penstyle Turnpike gatehouse. The Sun, therefore, would appear to have stood on the site of the new flats in Newton Road beside Ivel Court.

Nothing else is known at this time.

 

maps


A section of the 1842 Tithe Map showing Penn Way running across the centre of the image.

 

Hickes & Isaac's map of 1858 clearly showing Penn Way.

 

Another map of a similar vintage showing the line of the new railway right of centre and Newton Road running across the bottom of the map. Penn Way is clearly seen crossing two fields as a lane before becoming a footpath (shown as a dotted line).