Crown and Mitre public house

A mid-late C19 public house, believed to have C16 origins, now with C20 and C21 alterations and extensions.

MATERIALS: Red brick laid to Flemish bond, with a C20 pantile roof covering.

PLAN: The building is roughly L-shaped on plan with a crosswing to the west end.

EXTERIOR: The building is of two storeys, the north-facing front elevation to Ferry Street comprising three original bays rising from a shallow painted plinth, now with an added lean-to at the east end replacing earlier fabric. The roof is hipped at the west end, and incorporates brick chimneys at both ends. There is a dentilled storey band which extends along the full length of the front elevation and returns along the west gable. Below the band at the north-west corner is a section of small limestone quoins. The brickwork above the storey band appears to be later than that below. The main entrance doorway has a painted doorcase with an open pediment and a six-panel door. To the right of the doorway is a C19 display window, set below a moulded fascia, which lights the interior of the public house's main bar area. The three-sections of this opening are defined by timber pilasters with capitals and bases, and within the upper part of each section is a two-light window, each light with a shallow-arched head. The lights are separated by rounded mullions. To the left of the doorway is an eight over eight-pane sash window set beneath a plain soldier arch. There are three upper floor windows all with glazing bar sash frames, the central opening narrower with a six over six-pane frame. The openings all have rubbed brick heads. Extending along the west gable and the west wing is a long C21 glazed extension which now encloses a canted upper floor oriel window. The glazed extension is not of special interest. At the east end is a C21 lean-to extension built of salvaged bricks, also not of special interest.

INTERIOR: The interior of the public house has been largely remodelled at ground floor level to create a single open-plan bar and is mostly of C20 or C21 date, replacement timber beams now supporting the upper floor area. The bar is entered via a small lobby with the bar counter and back bar located against the west side wall. Extending to the east at the rear of the bar area is a smaller dining room with a brick hearth and chimney breast to the east end wall. The hearth has a curved back wall and a deep bressemer. A staircase and landing at the rear of the bar area gives access to the first floor and the roof space, and has turned balusters to the incline and landing area and some rectangular panelling to the stair side wall. The roof structure is mostly of C20 and C21 date.