Paxton's Head, London

A fine example of an ornate pub from the turn of the century which retains most of its original fittings.

This popular pub is but a small part of the massive Park Mansions retail and residential redevelopment designed by architect G D Martin: it is located in the phase that was built in 1900-2. There had been a pub on the site for generations and thus we have an interesting example of continuous usage for the licensed trade. The name commemorates Joseph Paxton who designed the Crystal Palace which once stood nearby. Superlative etched and cut glass mirrors can be found lining the walls and in doors and baffles. Motifs include grotesque masks, mythical birds, fruit, flowers and swirling foliage – all stock features in the repertoire of contemporary pub glass designs. Note the doors at the rear right which have PH monograms.

At the side of the pub is the entrance to a hallway which leads to a stately staircase to an upstairs dining area, and to a secondary doorway to the bar. The hallway also displays copious etched mirror work and  has a panelled ceiling.

There’s an island servery with curved ends and a fielded panel counter front (the tiling at its base is modern). The wonderfully ornate stillion rises to the height of the ceiling at its far end. There’s a central vestibule  with clock above, and a fireplace to the rear left with a corbelled overmantel. There is also an attractive Lincrusta ceiling with foliage decoration, and a dumb waiter at the rear of the pub. Originally there would have been partitions dividing the bar area but these have all been swept away. The rather overbearing superstructure on the counter and bridges to the side walls were inserted in the mid 20th century.

At one time there were three Victorian paintings of pastoral scenes at the front of the pub on the right, similar to those at the Viaduct Tavern in Holborn. But they were lost in a major refurbishment of the early seventies when additional glazing was inserted.