Sezincote house and gardens. The White Hart Royal, originally a seventeenth-century coaching inn, was occupied by King Charles I when he took shelter in the building following the Battle of Marston Moor (during the First English Civil War of 1644–1646) and supposedly left without paying his bill. The Bell is an eighteenth-century inn on the western side of the High Street. It was regularly visited by author J. R. R. Tolkien during his early years at the University of Oxford. The inn has been attributed as inspiration for The Prancing Pony which features in The Lord of the Rings (1954–1955). The 300-year-old Black Bear Inn, on the eastern side of the High Street near the Curfew Tower, has enjoyed a long association with football. An ex-professional footballer, landlord Jim Steele, was in the Southampton team that famously beat favourites Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup Final. Chelsea legend Peter Osgood, who was also in the winning Southampton side, was a great friend of Jim and often visited the Black Bear before he died in March 2006. Sport The town also has its own non league football club, Moreton Rangers who currently play in the Hellenic Football League at the London Road ground. The Batsford Road cricket ground was opened in 1859 and has hosted first-class and List A cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. Notable residents Nicholas John Anstee (1958–), 682nd Lord Mayor of London. Sir Charles Cockerell (1755–1837), 1st baronet of Sezincote House, Moreton-in-Marsh. James Hurrell (1984–), professional darts player and cricketer. Penelope Mortimer (1919-1999), journalist, biographer and novelist. Dame Prue Leith (1940–), restaurateur, chef and television presenter/broadcaster. John Sankey, 1st Viscount Sankey (1866–1948), Labour politician, Lord Chancellor 1929–1935. Jim Steele (1950–), ex-Dundee and Southampton footballer, won the 1976 FA Cup Final with Southampton. William Towns (1936–1993), 20th century car designer. Mark Williams (1959–), actor, screenwriter and presenter. References Sources External links Moreton in Marsh Town Council Wellington Aviation Museum Parish Church – St David's Towns in Gloucestershire Civil parishes in Gloucestershire Cotswolds Cotswold District