The Brendon Arms History

George Brendon his coah and his horses. Todays Brendon Arms is in the left of the picture.

The Brendon family's reputation for hospitality was established in 1872 when George Brendon began to run the Falcon Hotel and Inn. Pictured here around 1900 is his eldest son, also George Brendon, seeing off their four-horse coach service which went to Boscastle, Tintagel and Clovelly. Over 130 years after George Brendon senior started serving customers, his great great grand-daughter Sophia Brendon holds the licence and continues the tradition of providing what has long been hailed as "The Warmest Welcome in the West".

George Brendon Senior (left) was a great bon-vivant.
He had a ruddy, bearded, gooseberry-eyed look,
not unlike that of King Edward VII.

This giant oil painting, by the celebrated artist Heywood Hardy R.A, measures 7 by 5 feet and was presented to George Brendon senior in 1904 in recognition of the sport he provided as well as for his general achievement in opening up the district to visitors.George was the local Master of Fox Hounds, paying for the pack, the horses and men out of his own pocket.When he took a shine to a hotel guest such as the noted author Sabine Baring-Gould, George took him out for a day's hunting. Years later Baring-Gould wrote in his autobiography, "You have to go right to the West of England to meet that kind of hospitality.

Pictured left is the wreck of the Capricorno, which occurred in 1900. In the days of sail, the coast of North Cornwall was a magnet for wrecks. It was a lee shore onto which craft were liable to be thrust by the prevailing wind. Between 1869 and 1901, 85 vessels were stranded or lost near Bude. The town's heroic lifeboatmen put to sea on 31 occasions between 1853 and 1890 and saved 40 lives. The Brendon Arms contains many nautical memorabilia and pictures of lost vessels. Each of the bedrooms is named after a ship which took part in one of these dramas of life or death.

5 generations of George Brendons with strong links to Bude and the success of the Brendon Arms

Five generations of George Brendons
all with strong links to Bude
and the success of the Brendon Arms.

The Brendon Arms were first borne by Richard Brendon of St Dominick, Cornwall in about 1550. They are described in heraldic terms as 'Vert three martlets argent; Crest, an eagle displayed.' The Latin motto, "Deo Duce", means "God Leads". These armorial bearings can be seen on the sign outside the Brendon Arms. It is a sign that offers you traditional family hospitality along with excellent modern amenities and the "Warmest welcome in the West".