The Bell Hotel occupies the site of the earliest Guest House of the Monastery built about the same time; the cellars of the hotel are believed to be the original cellars of the Guest House.
At the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry V111 most of the conventional buildings were destroyed. The Abbey however was saved due to the generosity of the people of Tewkesbury who paid the King £453 to save it from destruction.
The three gabled Bell Hotel is situated immediately of the north gate of the Abbey but little remains of the original building. Following a disastrous fire the Inn was rebuilt in 1696. Apart from the cellar the oldest part to the building is the Bar and lounge area. The Frescos or tapestries on the wall are believed to be 16th century and were discovered under many layers of wallpaper. The main beam through the middle of the lounge was cut from the oak tree. Over centuries this has largely petrified and is now like concrete. The windows in the lounge date from the reign of William and Mary, about 1694. The lined fold panelling in the bar is believed to be 300 years old.
If you are lucky you may see our ghosts. A leading ‘ghost buster’ Eddie Burks, as featured in the Daily Mail and the Independent has visited the Bell on several occasions and discovered a presence from the Battle of Tewkesbury, in 1471 from the Wars of the Roses. This spokesman was on of a group of soldiers who had fled to the Bell in the hope of finding a safe haven. Alas, this was not to be. He was dragged from the Bell and slaughtered then thrown into a pit without a Christian committal. He claimed that no living person deserved to die in such a way.
Appropriate action was taken and upon re-visiting the Bell Mr Burks found the once restless souls were now at peace. Mr Burks said the Bell was the only hotel in Gloucestershire in which he had experienced links from the past.
The Bell features in Mrs Craiks “John Halifax Gentleman” and was less known as providing accommodation for man and beast than as the residence of Abel Fletcher, tanner. The classic work is reputed to have been written in the Bell.
Towards the end of the 19th century the Inn was called the “Ring of Bells”. Before we were renamed Bell Hotel the business was called the Bell Inn and Bowling Green.
The bowling green referred to no longer exist. Is it possible that this started life as the Monastic Bowling Green used by boys of the monastery (oblates and novices) who had not yet taken their vows?
The Bell Hotel is currently owned by Greene King Pub Company