The Masons Arms

YORK

SE6051SE FISHERGATE 1112-1/22/323 (West side) 16/02/96 No.6 The Mason's Arms

GV II

Public house. 1935. By James Knight of Rotherham for Biscomb and Ferrey. Ground floor of ashlar; first floor of panels of brown brick in stretcher bond, some laid diagonally, with planted timber-framing; Westmorland slate roof with brick stacks. EXTERIOR: 2-storey front of 6 unequal bays, with slightly jettied first floor; right end bay is recessed; centre bay projects and has bargeboarded gable which projects further on brackets over canted oriel window on first floor. In the re-entrants of the central bay are 1-storey flat roofed porches containing moulded doorways with shallow 4-centred heads, hoodmoulds and panelled double doors. 5-light central ground floor window and 2-light right end window have hollow chamfered mullions: remaining two ground floor windows are of 5 timber mullioned and transomed lights. On first floor, oriel window is of 5 lights; windows on either side are single lights or of 4 timber mullioned lights. Windows are leaded casements and top hung lights. At each end of jetty are oversize corbel, left one displaying the Five Lions of York, the right one the White Rose of York. Beneath the oriel is a fine pub sign of painted glass, showing the tools of the Mason's trade. Three painted wooden shields depict the arms of the Yorkshire Ridings. INTERIOR: fireplace and panelling in bar to right salvaged from the Castle prison gatehouse, constructed c1830, demolished 1935. Fireplace has a stone arched surround in carved wooden chimneypiece. Arch is 4 centred and springs from slender colonnette shafts with moulded bases and capitals: surround is flat arched, of 2 moulded orders, the inner springing from similar colonnette shafts; outer order is of 2 tiers of sunk panelled octagonal shafts. Centre of moulded mantelshelf is corbelled out to form a shaped candle ledge. Elaborate iron grate is cast with crocketed and gabled tracery and blind and pierced tracery. Bar is lined above dado level with wainscoting of sunk panelling with 4-centred heads. (Dissertation for MA in Architectural Building Conservation: Davison Andrew P: "A Good House, fit for the purpose: Public House Design in York": De Montfort University: 1993-: 172; An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in the City of York: RCHME: The Defences: HMSO: 1972-: 86).

Listing NGR: SE6064151281