Crown Inn

CROWN INN, BROAD STREET, WORCESTER

House and hotel with assembly rooms, now shops with offices over and public house. The building comprises three properties numbered 10, 10A and 11 Broad Street, described from left to right.

The left house dates from the early to mid-18th century. The remainder of the façade probably dates from around 1820-40, though the building likely has 17th-century origins with later additions and alterations including work from the 1980s. The structure is of stucco over brick with a plain tile roof to the left section; the remainder has a concealed roof. A cast-iron balcony is a notable feature.

The façade is three storeys with an attic to the left, with a fenestration pattern of 2:1:3:1:3 first-floor windows. The stucco detailing includes horizontal rustication around two main off-centre entrances positioned left and right, which reads as bases for fluted pilasters rising from the first floor through full height to the ends and either side of single-window bays. The centre three bays have a first-floor sill band, continuing as a first-floor band to the right; elsewhere there are sills only. On the first floor, the second and fourth windows have eared architraves. On the second floor, the second and fourth windows have fluted jambs and moulded cornices on console brackets. A crowning frieze runs across except at the left, with a cornice over the centre three bays and a low parapet except at the left.

The ground floor features, from left to right: a renewed shop front in Victorian style; an entrance with double glazed doors with overlight set in double-chamfered reveals with segmental arch formed in the stucco rustication; a renewed round-arched window; at the centre, tall 18-raised-and-fielded-panel double doors leading to the passage with engaged fluted columnar responds and cornice; a 6/6 sash in plain reveals; a further similar entrance with double glazed doors with overlight in double-chamfered reveals; and two 8/8 sashes in plain reveals. The first and second floors have 6/6 sashes in near-flush frames with sills. The two windows to the left have fluted keystones. A continuous balcony at the centre bay on the first floor features three roundels and embellished balusters, with two carriage lamps displaying stained glass showing a royal crown. An attic dormer to the left contains a casement window. Rear ranges of two and three storeys have 6/6 and 3/6 sashes where original. Similar 6/6 and 3/6 sashes appear at the left return.

Interior

The assembly rooms occupy the first floor at the rear of the inn. This is a tall rectangular room with rounded ends, lit by a rectangular skylight with multi-pane windows and canted, panelled sides decorated with egg and dart moulding. A deeply-moulded acanthus cornice and ceiling rose crown the space. At the ends of the room are fluted Ionic pilasters with a continuous frieze and egg and dart cornice. The walls have a panelled dado with rectangular panels bearing scroll and rose moulding. Entrances to three sides are provided by six-panel doors and double doors. An early 18th-century staircase with closed string and turned balusters provides access to the assembly rooms.

Historical Context

The Crown Hotel was one of the principal coaching inns of Worcester. Several houses in Broad Street are known to have 17th-century and earlier origins. By the 16th century, Broad Street was second only to High Street in commercial importance. On the direct route through the city from Worcester Bridge, it contained the business premises of a number of important traders and at least two inns.

The listed buildings in Broad Street form a significant group: Nos 10, 10A, 11 (with the Crown Inn), 12, 18, 19, 29, 32-36 (consecutive), 40, 41, 43-49 (consecutive), 51-63 (consecutive), 69, 70, and the Church of All Saints.