Burnham Market - The Hoste Arms

The Hoste Arms has had many guises since it was built in 1550 as the manor house of Burnham Westgate including a court house, livestock market, art gallery and brothel. The first records of it being an inn date back to 1651 when customs officers stayed for a night's rest.

During the 18th century it became a well known coaching inn under the ownership of the Pitt family (relations to the politicians) and adopted their family name.
Lord Nelson frequented the Pitt Arms every Saturday to receive dispatches during his period of unemployment from 1788 to 1793.
It became the Hoste Arms in 1811 but whether this was due to Nelson's protege, Captain Sir William Hoste, or because the Hoste family were huge landowners in the area remains unknown.

In the 1860's it went under brewery ownership but fell into decay since relatively few improvements were carried out for 130 years until current owner Paul Whittome purchased The Hoste in 1989. Within six years he turned it from a pub with no bedrooms and a dining area for thirty-five to a stylish inn with twenty-eight individually designed bedrooms serving award winning food for up to 150 covers a night in either the tranquil restaurant,