The Cross Keys Hotel and Restaurant.
A striking Grade II* listed timber-framed inn at the corner of the High Street and King Street, offering food, drink and characterful rooms in the heart of Saffron Walden. With centuries of history and more than one resident ghost, it's a stay with a story.
A little about The Cross Keys Hotel and Restaurant.
The Cross Keys is one of Saffron Walden's most recognisable buildings, standing on the corner of the High Street and King Street. Its oldest parts date from the 15th and 16th centuries, and the timber-framed building, with its exposed beams, overhanging upper floors and leaded windows, is listed Grade II* for its historic importance. Originally a house and shop, it has long since become one of the town's best-known inns. Local legend even says that the great corner timber is an oak tree that was left growing in the ground, with the building constructed around it.
Today the Cross Keys combines a bar, restaurant and hotel rooms under one roof. It's a relaxed place to stop for a drink, enjoy a meal in historic surroundings or stay overnight while exploring the town and nearby attractions such as Audley End House.
The building's long history has left it with a reputation as one of Saffron Walden's most haunted. The best-known tale links it to the Civil War, when Oliver Cromwell's army was based in the town. Footsteps are said to march up and down a passageway on Christmas Eve, reputedly belonging to one of Cromwell's soldiers, while a ghostly woman is said to haunt one of the bedrooms. The ghosts are said to be friendly, so you're unlikely to lose any sleep!