The Royal Oak Inn

The Royal Oak Inn is a public house dating back to the 16th century, with 18th-century additions and a late 19th-century restoration. It is constructed with close studded timber framing, with jetties above ground floor brickwork, and has later brick additions. The roof is covered with Welsh slate and plain tiles.

The building comprises an earlier north range of two storeys and an 18th-century south range of three storeys. The north range features close studded timber framing with tension-braced corners. Its north wall has two, three-light timber mullioned oriel windows, each supported on four curved brackets. These windows have pointed heads, with single side lights to the returns and a crenellated cill band. Jettied gables, now underbuilt, include a 19th-century oriel window on the west gable. A blocked doorway has a shallow Tudor arched lintel. The north, east, west and north elevations face onto pedestrian ways within The Shambles.

The west elevation of the south range has brick storey bands, with damage to the band below the first-floor windows. It has a three-window front, though only two windows are present on the upper floor, which are two- and three-light sliding casements. The ground floor windows are 20th-century stained glass. A small blocked window looks north from a projecting side of the building. The east elevation is roughcast, with late 19th-century features. It incorporates casement and sash windows, with later stained glass at ground floor level on the north end. A central doorway has a moulded architrave.

Inside, the south range is now open to the roof, exposing the central roof truss, purlins, rafters, and braces from the lower bar area. A simple timber lobby is present in the east gable with a half-glazed door. There is continuous bench seating along the south, west and north walls. The north range has an 18th-century wind-braced single purlin roof supported by a collar and tie beam truss. The ground floor bar area has simple bench seating and half-glazed doors. Encased spine beams support underdrawn ceilings. A brick vaulted cellar is also present. The ground floor areas of the two ranges are linked by a 20th-century bar counter in an opening in the east side wall of the north range, serving to maintain the separation of the areas and preserve the distinctive architectural qualities of each phase of development.