The Freemasons Arms Public House

The Freemasons Arms Public House is a building located on Silkmill Street in Knutsford. Originally constructed as a silk mill in 1754, it was converted into three dwellings in 1818 and later transformed into a public house in the 1890s. The structure is made of painted brick and features a Welsh slate roof.

The exterior consists of three storeys with a five-window range and one blocked window. There are two entrances, each flanked by windows. The doors are six-panelled and set in steep pedimented cases, likely from the 1818 conversion. To the left of the entrances is a two-pane sash window, and to the right is a tripartite sash window with a rusticated stuccoed head, added during the conversion to a public house. The upper windows in the left-hand unit are 16-pane sashes with flat-arched brick heads, while the right side has paired four-pane sashes with rusticated stuccoed heads. The centre has blocked windows to the right of the left-hand doorway. The building features a simply moulded wood eaves cornice and has an end wall and axial stack, with one stack breaking the front slope of the roof.

Inside, the basic 18th-century structure remains intact. Each of the three cottages originally had one room, an entrance hall, and stairs, some of which still exist, including one with original rail, balusters, and string. Several panelled doors with pegged surrounds are also present.

This building is of special interest as it clearly illustrates the three phases of its development, each showcasing quality features. It is also a significant and rare remnant of Knutsford's silk industry.