Masons Arms, York

Rebuilt in 1935 of stone with a first floor of brick and timber framing featuring an oriel window in the centre. It is a set-piece in Tudor style and was a prestige project for the local Tadcaster Tower Brewery by Rotherham architect, James Knight. It incorporates, as its chief glory, some genuine Gothic Revival features of the highest quality – oak panelling and a fireplace salvaged from York Castle gatehouse, which was constructed in c1830 and demolished in 1935. Doorway of Tudor stone arch shape with double doors on the right lead to a porch with a terrazzo floor, a dado of Gothic revival style panelling and internal double doors of similar style to the exterior ones. Inside the pub there are part glazed 1930s Gothic style short partitions on the left and right of the doors.

On the right is the Lounge with the walls having Gothic Revival oak panelling to two-thirds height and on the left side of which is a brass plaque stating “This oak panelling together with the mantelpiece a fireplace was removed from the West Riding Justices Room in the main gate of York Castle re-fitted in this lounge in the year 1935”. On the right hand wall is a Gothic Revival stone arched surround in carved wooden chimneypiece, the arch of which springs from slender colonnette shafts with moulded bases and capitals. The walls are lined with 1930s fixed seating and the odd bell push from the days of table service. Doorways with ‘Ladies’ and ‘Gentlemen’in gold lead to intact toilets with Gothic Revival doors and intact toilets – the gents with a dado of 1930s tiling in the ante room, full height 1930s tiling and three tall Twyfords urinals, terrazzo floor and more dado tiling in the WC; the ladies with terrazzo floor and a dado of 1930s tiling.

The lounge on the right is now opened-up to the middle ‘Sitting Room’ with a parquet floor where the servery is situated. The bar counter of curved ply panelling (the top illuminated section is a modern addition) and the bar back fitting is mainly the original 1935 one with some modern additions – the main shelf is of Formica and some fridges have replaced half of the lower shelving. There is a fine brick with wood surround, carved at the top with half timbered mantelpiece, 1930s fixed seating and some bell pushes. Good exterior leaded windows.

A door from the middle room and exterior doorway of Tudor stone arch shape with double doors on the left lead to a porch with a terrazzo floor, a dado of Gothic revival style panelling and internal double doors of similar style to the exterior ones into the Public bar. It has a fielded panelled 1935 bar counter (the top illuminated section is a modern addition), the floor around the base of the counter being of terrazzo. There is an original Art Deco style wood surround fireplace with modern tiled interior, original fixed seating with a plain baffle by the door and bell pushes around the room. ‘Gentlemen’ in gold over the door to another intact gents’ toilet with a with a dado of 1930s tiling in the ante room, 1930s wall tiling to two-thirds height, original urinals, terrazzo floor and more dado tiling in the WC; the ladies also has a terrazzo floor and a dado of 1930s tiling.

Restored and re-opened in 2016 after suffering severe damage in the York floods. The floors are now timbered throughout (with some salvaged parquet being re-used) and the seating has been re-upholstered. The counter-top in the public bar and counter-front (and frame) in the lounge are new work.