The multi-story brick facade of the Central Hotel features large lettering, sash windows, and ground-floor sold posters.

Central Hotel, 1936 (photo M Murray) demolished 1960(Cambridgeshire Collection)

Central Hotel, Three Tuns Inn, St Edward’s Passage

History of Centra; Hotel, St Edward's Passage

According to 1959 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments Survey of Cambridge, Central Hotel, at the N. corner of St Edward’s Passage, consists of a complex of four or five small houses. Some or all of these were combined at the Restoration to form an inn, the ‘Three Tuns’ which was closed down in 1790. It is possible the location where Pepys ‘drank pretty hard’ on 25th February 1660.

There is a NE range of mid 17th cent. original’s and distinguished by a brick front facing Peas Hill, a SE corner block rebuilt in the 19th cent., a central rather later 17th cent. block running N and S and containing the former assembly-room on the first floor, and a SW wing bordering St Edward’s Passage. The wing improbably the oldest surviving part and dates from the 16th cent.

The brick front dates from 1727 and within there are interesting mid and later 17th cent. panelling and timber fireplace-surrounds.

Street view of the Central Hotel and Tea Bar on Peas Hill, with bicycles parked by railings and pedestrians on the pavement.

Central Hotel, Peas Hill, 1958 (267A/70)

Pedestrians walk along a street past brick buildings, including the Central Hotel, with a tea bar on the corner in Cambridge.

Central Hotel c. 1960 (MoC77/60)

A light-coloured building seen behind a graveyard, with bare trees, several chimneys, and stone headstones in the foreground.

Central Hotel (MoC78/60)

A black and white street-level view of a corner building with a brick wall stacked against the storefront of a tea bar.

The Central Hotel (MoC52.60)

A black and white view of the Three Tuns Inn’s rear exterior, featuring a prominent gabled roof above a small paned window.

Back of Three Tuns Inn, Peas Hill at corner of St Edward’s Passage. Later known as Central Cafe. Demolished in 1950s. (MoC51.60)

Street-level view of the multi-storey brick Central Hotel with a tea bar, cars parked along the curb, and pedestrians below.

Central Hotel (MoC76/60)

In 1961 the site was rebuilt as the Midland Bank.

Street view showing the Central Hotel, a mid-century car parked outside, and a stone church building in the background.

Central Hotel, Peas Hill (MoC267.70)

Projects

St Edward's Passage

Share this article

Facebook Bluesky

Contribute

Do you have any information about the people or places in this article? If so, then please let us know using the Contact page or by emailing capturingcambridge@museumofcambridge.org.uk.

Licence

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 not including content on external links as indicated by.