Murrell Arms, Barnham

A pub of real character still retaining two little-altered bars and a number of old fittings. Built c.1750 by William Murrell as a farmhouse and became a pub in 1866. The public bar on the right is an amalgamation of the Bottle & Jug (exterior door remains) and the public bar, which was itself two small rooms sometime in the past as there are two fireplaces. The bar counter on the front left of the public bar is interwar with a newer top; and there is a curved old bar counter in the rear right area. The two sections of bar back are not that old but are intact as a fridge is situated to the right of them. Between the two bar backs is the entrance to the cellar that in recent years has seen a brick arch added with the wording ‘Merrell Tap’. The fireplace on the front right has a wood surround and copper interior with a log fire. Both wood block and bare wood floors; old dado panelling. In the rear section is a brick fireplace of recent vintage; full height old panelling on the rear wall; two high-backed settles, darts and the rare pub game of Ring the Bull. The saloon bar (Stable Bar on exterior door) on the left situated in an addition to the original building leads into a vestibule with a ‘Public Bar’ and ‘Private Bar’ etched panels i.e. clearly repositioned. The unusual just post-war semi-circular bar counter is constructed to resemble a barrel with hoops and staves. There are two old fireplaces, old dado panelling and two high-backed settles.