London Pubs Group crawl of Camden and Euston
Meet at 7pm at Golden Lion, 88 Royal College Street, Camden, NW1 0TH;
then to include
7.45pm Constitution, 42 Pancras Way, Camden, NW1 0QT;
8.15pm Prince Albert, 163 Royal College Street, Camden, NW1 0SG;
9pm Royal George, 8-14 Eversholt Street, Euston, NW1 1DG;
9.30pm Somers Town Coffee House, 60 Chalton Street, Euston, NW1 1HS;
10pm Rocket, 120 Euston Road, Euston, NW1 2AL.
Public transport will be required at times. All welcome. Jane Jephcote moc.liamelgoog@etochpej.enaj 07813 739856
Map can be downloaded of Evening Crawl of Camden and Euston
A ST PANCRAS PILGRIMAGE: LONDON PUBS GROUP EVENING CRAWL OF CAMDEN AND EUSTON ON WEDNESDAY 9 DECEMBER 2015
For pictures of the pubs on this crawl go to the London Pubs Group website http://www.londonpubsgroup.camra.org.uk/viewnode.php?id=32545
All the pubs on this crawl lie within the historic parish of St Pancras, hence the title.
1) 7.00pmGolden Lion, 88 Royal College Street, Camden, NW1 0TH.Although this pub is not a listed building it is on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) London Regional Inventory of Pub Interiors of Special Historic Interest and the description is as follows: “A prominent late Victorian former Charrington’s pub on a corner-site: its name is proclaimed in raised ceramic lettering. The ground floor is now a single space but its original tripartite structure can easily be traced. Indeed the names of two of the rooms are still visible in bright stained glass above doors on the Pratt Street elevation – Saloon Bar and Private Bar. The latter seems to have been turned into an off-sales in the mid-20th century judging by the inscription on the door glass. Part of the screen, with etched glass, separating the private bar/off-sales from what must have been the public bar is still in place, straddling the servery.The star feature, though, is the bar back with a scrolly pediment, bevelled mirrors, a dumb waiter, and lots of good detail including two doors with etched glass panes. There is also a panelled bar counter and a chunky Devon marble fireplace. The public bar seems to have been refitted, probably in the 1950’s or ’60s, whence the bar back with its Charrington lettering and ply-panelled bar counter. The upstairs club (formerly billiard) room has another Devon marble fireplace and the nearby gents’ are intact with colourful dado tiling and two urinals.” The pub was the subject of an article in the Guardian on 13 October 2015 (see http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/13/the-death-and-life-of-a-great-british-pub )
Sharps Doom Bar and St Austell Tribute are usually served here.Turn right out of the pub and walk down Pratt Street to the junction with Pancras Way. Cross over Pancras Way, turn left and walk up Pancras Way to 2) 7.45 pmConstitution, 42 Pancras Way, Camden, NW1 0QT. Although this pub is not a listed building nor on CAMRA’s London Regional Inventory it is an imposingformer Courage canalsidepub which has been taken over by the owners of the Hack and Hop (Whitefriars Street EC4), the Dean Swift (Shad Thames SE1)and the Red Cow (Smithfield EC1). It is still a traditional locals’ pub of a kind fast disappearing in the area.
Caledonian Deuchars IPA; Windsor & Eton Windsor Knot; and a guest beer are usually served here. On leaving the pub, cross over Pancras Way and walk down Georgiana Street to the junction with Royal College Street. Cross over Georgiana Street and Royal College Street to
3) 8.15 pmPrince Albert. 163 Royal College Street, Camden, NW1 0SG. Like the Constitution, this pub is neither a listed building nor on CAMRA’s London Regional Inventory but it is a fine example of a former Charrington pub complete with green glazed tiling on the exterior and some Charrington stained glass windows.
10% discount is offered on real ales for card-carrying CAMRA members. East London Brewery Cowcatcher; Five Points Pale Ale; Lees Bitter; and one guest beer are usually served here. On leaving the pub, walk along Lyme Terrace to the junction with Camden Road. Turn left and walk along Camden Road to bus stop R (called Camden Street). Catch a 168 or 253 bus to the stop called Euston Station. Alight from the bus, turn right and walk to
4) 9.00 pm Royal George, 8-14 Eversholt Street, Euston, NW1 1DG. This pub is not only a grade II listed building but is also on CAMRA’s London Regional Inventory as having some regional interest and the description is as follows: “Built 1939-40. By AE Sewell, LRIBA, architect to Messrs. Truman, Hanbury and Buxton, brewers to replace a public house of the same name in Drummond Street. Originally there were three bars – public, saloon and private as indicated by the three exterior doors – but the central counter remains. The counter front, the bar back, the walls and supporting columns to frieze height all have veneer panelling typical of the late 1930s, with banded decoration to bar and fitted seats to former lounge area clad in the same timber. Included for the rare marquetry decoration on the fireplaces - that on the left has small panels contrasting the steam age of the 1830s with the radios and cocktails of the 1930s - fireplace on the right has a larger panel depicting 'The Royal George' but sadly covered by a large TV screen.”
The listing description is as follows: “Public house with staff flat over. 1939-40. By AE Sewell, LRIBA, architect to Mssrs. Truman, Hanbury and Buxton, brewers to replace a public house of the same name in Drummond Street. Stock brick between bands of artificial stone to ground floor and attic, green slate roof. Rear stacks. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys and cellars on rectangular plot with curved corners. Corner entrances to former public (north) and saloon (south) bars, and central entrance to former private bar; all have double doors. Band of six 2-light sash windows either side of central entrance. First floor has large 2-light casements under stone heads, four in centre and one on each corner; similar casements form a strip in attic, set back under projecting eaves and with set-back corners dominated by relief sculptures of eagles. Access to upper flat in Wellesley Road, where a door in similar style sits under first-floor tripartite window with stone jambs. INTERIOR: the interior originally consisted of lounge and public bar at either end, with private bar in centre and games room at rear now occupied by food counter. These bars now united, but central counter remains. This, the back bar and the walls and supporting columns to frieze height all with veneer panelling typical of the late 1930s, with banded decoration to bar and fitted seats to former lounge area clad in the same timber. The chimney-pieces are most elaborately treated, with marquetry decoration, that to the public bar with small panels contrasting the steam age of the 1830s with the radios and cocktails of the 1930s; a larger marquetry panel in the lounge depicts the sailing ship The Royal George. Banded coving over bar fascia and to cornices; inset roundels in ceiling serve later C20 light fittings. Included as a remarkably complete example of a 1930s pub, with excellent marquetry panels depicting features from the style of the period done with charm and panache.”
The pub is in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2016 and 10% discount is offered on real ales for card-carrying CAMRA members. Greene King IPA; Westerham 1730; and four guest beers are usually served here. Turn right out of the pub and walk to the junction with Doric Way. Walk down Doric Way to the junction with Churchway. Cross over Churchway, turn left and then right down the alley (also called Churchway) to the junction with Chalton Street. Cross over Chalton Street to
5) 9.30 pm Somers Town Coffee House, 60 Chalton Street, Euston, NW1 1HS. Although this pub is not on CAMRA’s London Regional Inventory it is a grade II listed building and the listing description is as follows: “Includes Nos.16A-76A Levita House, attached shops, screen & Somers Town Coffee House CHALTON STREET. Blocks of council flats and attached shops and coffee house/tavern forming part of the Ossulston Estate; frontages to Ossulston Street, Chalton Street and Weir's Passage. 1930-1. To the designs of the LCC Architect's Department under G Topham Forrest. Flats and shops: load-bearing brickwork rendered with coloured roughcast, channelled to ground floor to appear as stone; reinforced concrete balconies. Hipped pantiled roofs with dormers and tall chimney-stacks. PLAN: central spine on north-south axis with 4 diagonal spines from angles joined to north and south blocks to form enclosed courtyards; enclosed courtyard to west, open to east. EXTERIOR: 5 and 4 storeys plus attics. Windows mostly flush framed sashes with exposed boxing. Balconies designed to make the voids above them read as holes punched in the building. Eastern range has central courtyard block of ground floor portico with outer bays of projecting balconies and inner bays of flush rectangular balconies grouped 2:3:2 to 3 upper floors; top floor has round-arched voids. Diagonal flanking wings have alternating canted bays. North and south-eastern facing blocks with central round-arched vehicle entrances above which long rectangular voids with bowed fronts; top floor of 3 round-arched voids and central projecting semicircular balcony, all with cast-iron balustrade. Flanking bays of long rectangular voids with 3 vertical slits beneath each. Outer bays of paired sashes in shallow full height recesses. Other facades are variations to this style using voids, axes and massing to effect; southern facade has Lombardic frieze to parapet. Western courtyard is enclosed by a range of single storey shops with central fluted Doric screen flanked by pillars having fielded finials to angles. Coffee house/tavern: the Somers Town Coffee House on Chalton Street forms the southern part of the entrance to the northern courtyard. 1927-8, believed to be by Halsey Ricardo. Rendered and painted brickwork. Pantiled hipped roof with tall chimney-stacks, dormers and coved cornice to projecting eaves. 2 storeys, attic and cellars. 5 windows and 4 window left handreturn. Public house frontage of central transom and mullion window with small panes flanked by similar windows with central part-glazed doors. 1st floor slightly recessed sashes with exposed boxing. INTERIOR: not inspected. HISTORICAL NOTE: despite policy to house as many Londoners as possible on outlying cottage estates, pressure of waiting lists and urgency of slum clearance forced Cecil Levita, Chairman of the LCC Housing Committee to review the situation. The Ossulston Estate is the most important inner-city estate of the inter-war period, representing the most considered attempt by the LCC to inject new thinking into inner-city housing estates. It was influenced in particular by Viennese housing models and was innovative in terms of layout and elevation. This complex forms a group with Chamberlain House, Phoenix Road and the southern block of Walker House, Phoenix Road including The Cock Tavern.”
Although the pub’s interior has been opened out it retains most of its original wooden panelling and windows.
Charles Wells Bombardier and Eagle IPA; Courage Best and Directors; YoungsBitter, Burning Gold, London Gold and Special;and seasonal and guest ales are normally served here.On leaving the pub, cross over Chalton Street, turn left and walk down Chalton Street to
6) 10.00 pm Rocket (originally Rising Sun), 120 Euston Road, Euston, NW1 2AL.This pub is on CAMRA’s London Regional Inventory and the description is as follows: “Rebuilt 1899 by Shoebridge& Rising for Cannon Brewery of red brick with stone bands. This three-storey main building has a single storey extension at Euston Road, a granite frontage and at the top a carved plaque of the sun rising over the sea and inscribed "Rebuilt 1899". It is mainly opened-up apart from the rear right partitioned area but retains a significant number of original fittings. Originally separated by a full height screen but only the top section remains is the saloon bar at the rear right (and on a slightly lower level). This area retains its original curved bar counter and a wonderful six bay (and dumb waiter) bar back fitting, the first bay being an access for staff and the others having lovely frosted and decorated mirrors and there is a row of bevelled mirrors reaching to the ceiling. Sadly, most of the lower shelving has been lost to fridges. There is a splendid plasterwork ceiling with parts picked out in deep red, a vestibule entrance on the ceiling above which are two rising sun symbols, and the original Victorian fireplace with carved wooden tigers (?) heads at the top left and right and red glazed brick interior.The front right area has a fine vestibule entrance reaching to the ceiling with a mosaic floor and retaining some Victorian glazed panels. The bar counter here is another original one, albeit of a different style to the rear one, an original bar back fitting with intact lower shelving and above a semi-circular protruding manager’s office (now housing the glass washer) with frosted and etched panels. The bar counter continues into the front left area where it is a small three-sided one, dado panelling on the left looks modern as is the vestibule entrance.”
The pub is also a grade II listed building and the listing description is as follows: “Public house. 1899. ByShoebridge& Rising. For Cannon Brewery. Red brick with stone bands and dressings and steeply pitched slate roofs. Main building, 3 storeys and attic, 1 window, corner turret and 2 window return to Charlton Road; set back from Euston Road with single storey extension of 1 bay, splayed corner and 4 bay return filling forecourt. Granite public house frontage with pilasters with enriched capitals and banded shafts supporting fascia with projecting cornice and blocking course. 3 round arched entrances (1 on corner & 2 on return); windows with large round-arched light and small panes in spandrels. Main building with square-headed 2-light sashes flanked by pilasters and with enriched aprons. Egg and dart main cornice at 3rd floor level. Attic storey in large Flemish gables; west gable with windows in round-arched recesses and segmental topped enrichment; south gable with carved plaque of the sun rising over the sea and inscribed "Rebuilt 1899". Corner turret with enriched panels and ornamented lead dome with finial. INTERIOR: retains original office and bar screen.”
Black Sheep Bitter; Fullers London Pride; Greene King IPA; Harviestoun Bitter and Twisted; and Sharps Doom Bar are usually served here.