The Army and Navy Public House, Stoke Newington

The Army and Navy Public House, Stoke Newington

This early to mid 1930s public house, opened by 1936, was built for Truman, Hanbury, Buxton & Co Ltd in Neo-Georgian style, probably designed by the brewery's principal architect A E Sewell.

The building is constructed of red brick with stone dressings and a part mansard tiled roof topped with two tall brick chimneystacks with stone copings. It is wedge-shaped in plan, almost symmetrical, comprising two main storeys with an attic and cellar.

The central corner bay is framed by stone quoins and features a stepped parapet bearing a stone tablet with a relief roundel displaying Truman's eagle symbol and raised lettering reading 'THE ARMY AND NAVY'. A six-over-six sash window with stone keystone occupies the first floor, while the ground floor has a bowed multi-pane off licence window.

The two splayed side elevations are almost symmetrical, though the south-east side is one bay longer than the north. At first floor level adjoining the central corner bay, each elevation has a single sash window with an arched tympanum decorated by a carved festoon. The parapet above displays lettering of the brewery company. Beyond these enriched windows are a succession of plainer six-over-six sash windows—five on the south-east and four on the north side—divided from them by substantial lead rainwater heads with decorative foliage patterns and downpipes beneath the large chimneystacks. Both elevations feature further rainwater heads and downpipes at their outer ends and two fixed iron lanterns. The attic level extends two-thirds along each side elevation and includes flat roofed dormers. Sculpted stone urns with carved festoons sit at the base of the chimneystacks at parapet level.

At ground level on the north side are three doorways with stone surrounds, originally leading to a separate off licence, private bar and saloon bar. The windows are steel-framed with hopper openings at the top and incorporate Truman's stained and leaded glazing below. On the south-east elevation at ground floor level is a single wide doorway with double doors, originally leading to the public bar with stained glass leaded glazing to the upper parts. To the south is a doorway leading to the private landlord's quarters. The windows retain Truman's stained and leaded glazing.

Internally, the building was probably originally divided into five different sections: a saloon bar, private bar and off sales accessed from Matthias Road, a public bar, and possibly a games room accessed from Elton Street, all served by a single servery. Room divisions were removed in the later twentieth century but remain apparent in the ceiling divisions.

The ground floor retains a Vitrolite panelled ceiling divided by timber ribs throughout. The former saloon bar retains three-quarter height fielded panelling to the south and west walls. On the west wall is a brick fireplace with a plastered panel depicting a galleon and above it an original Truman's embossed mirror. Original fixed benches are on the north and west walls. The south wall has an unusual fixed fold-out counter top next to the servery and a dumb waiter beside it. Above the entrances to the lavatories are early box light signage.

Part of the timber partition between the saloon bar and private bar survives, as does part of the original screen in the later vestibule entrance along Matthias Road. The former private bar retains its original counter with fielded panelled front and a brick fireplace with curved hearth.

The former public bar has further fixed benching, simple match board panelling to the bar, a brick fireplace with a curved hearth, and at the north end is a set of rolling-in doors for lowering barrels to the cellar. The south-west end has a further brick fireplace and is likely to have been a separate area, possibly a games room, judging by the break in the Vitrolite ceiling. Above the entrances to the lavatories are early box light signage.

Linking all the ground floor rooms is the central servery. The bar back is original throughout, retaining Truman's distinctive inlaid lettering above the shelving and a leaded mirrored back board. The counter is original, though parts of the counter top have either been retouched or possibly replaced. A glass shelf with decorative wrought ironwork with small rose emblems is either original or of the 1950s. The small wash-up compartment on the public bar side of the servery is a rare survival of these fittings.