The Blue Boys Inn

The Blue Boys Inn

This is a late 18th-century purpose-built inn with surviving elements from an earlier 16th-century north wing that was originally a farmhouse. Single-storey additions were added to the east in the mid-20th century, and a two-storey north-west extension with a porch were added in the 1980s. These 20th-century additions are not of special architectural interest.

The building is constructed of red brick in Flemish bond with some grey headers, though the entrance front has been painted. There is tile-hanging to the east and west side elevations, a tiled roof, and end brick chimneystacks. An inserted brick chimneystack and some ground floor brick external walls survive from the north wing. The east extensions are rendered brick, while the north-west extension is weather-boarded to the first floor and painted brick to the ground floor, both with tiled roofs.

Originally, the site comprised a three-bay 16th-century farmhouse with an entrance on the west at right-angles to the road and an outshot to the east. A chimneystack with an open fireplace was inserted towards the south end in the 18th century. In the late 18th century, a two-storey, three-bay purpose-built inn wing was added, facing south directly onto the road with a central entrance, transforming the plan to an L-shape. Mid-20th-century extensions to the east included toilets, and in the 1980s the bar was extended on the north-west side with living accommodation above. In May 2014, the 16th-century wing was largely demolished.

The south or entrance front features a central bay projecting slightly forward of the end bays, with a raised panel above inscribed "BLUE BOYS". The windows have been replaced by uPVC sash windows within the original openings. A wide gabled central porch has been supplemented by a further later 20th-century porch addition. There is a bracketed eaves cornice. The east and west side elevations of the south wing are red brick in Flemish bond with some grey headers and some tile-hanging to the gables and external chimneystacks. The west side of the north wing has a weather-boarded first floor and painted brick ground floor. The first floor contains two casement windows with multiple lights, and the ground floor has three 20th-century windows and a 20th-century door. The north end has a steeply hipped roof with a penticed dormer window and brick ground floor. The west side is mostly concealed by the single-storey 20th-century extension but retains an outshot with a catslide roof. The 1980s west extension has a weather-boarded first floor with two metal casement windows with diamond panes, and a painted brick ground floor with patio doors and small windows. Some ground floor brickwork from the earlier north wing survives on the north and east sides.

Interior ground-floor room divisions have been removed, but on the west side the 18th-century spine beam and some ceiling beams remain near the end chimneystack, with the 18th-century brickwork of the chimney exposed internally. A ledged plank door survives, along with some 20th-century bar fittings and brick fireplaces. In the cellar, the brickwork of the end chimneystack is exposed. On the ground floor adjoining the north-east side is a large brick open fireplace with spice alcoves, built-in seats, a wooden bressumer retaining the marks of a crane, and a moulded plate shelf. This fireplace is probably of 18th-century date and remains from the earlier north wing. The 18th-century brick floor to this room also survives.

The first floor contains three bedrooms. The eastern bedroom has a 19th-century wooden fireplace with a late 19th-century tiled interior and metal fire-grate, while the western room contains a late 19th-century tiled fireplace interior and metal fire-grate but a 20th-century fireplace surround. The roof structure is reported to have paired rafters with a ridge board and nailed-on side purlins.