The Past…  

The White Hart Royal is constructed in Cotswold stone, under a slate roof which is supported by a pegged oak frame. The building is Grade Two listed. From the early 17th century the hotel traded as a coaching inn. It was extended in the 18th century on at least two occasions and these extensions are marked by commemorative plaques on the front and rear elevations .

Unusually, the building forms a distinct horseshoe-shape, broken only by two arched entrances on the High Street and Oxford Street sides. A courtyard separates the horse-shoe construction. This is bordered on the southern side by the two storey Oxford Room (which is of classical Georgian proportions) and, on the northern, or Oxford Street side, by the original 17th century building.

Historically, The White Hart Royal was used to accommodate the eight, daily London to Worcester stage coaches. During the English Civil War (1642-49) Moreton- in- Marsh was a base for Royalist cavalry guarding the north western flank of King Charles 1’s Oxford headquarters. On the evening of the battle of Marston Moor (2nd July 1644) the King stayed overnight at the hotel on his way to Evesham and Worcester. He reputedly fled the hotel without paying his bill! This is commemorated in a small framed manuscript on a wall inside the front entrance of the Hotel.