Chequers, Goldhanger

A 16th-/17th-century pub which in Victorian times consisted of the little-changed public bar and tap room plus the wide red and black quarry-tiled passageway that runs from the front door. Both tap room and public bar have Victorian bar counters. The public bar has a splendid fitted settle forming a partition on the passageway side; it has some windows at the top and bench seating attached. Partitions like this existed in great numbers in pubs throughout the country but are now very rare. This small room has an old brick fireplace, old dado panelling with benches attached and a tongue-and-groove ceiling over part (possibly the area to the right near the bar was a cellar in the distant past?).

The large rear bar clearly came into use at a later date, possibly in inter-war times. The floor is much higher than that of the bar so the counter is one of the lowest in the country! This room has one old panelled wall and a 1930s brick fireplace and has been extended to the rear. The rear right small room was formerly part of the domestic accommodation and is still like someone's front room with its armchairs and small early-20th-century tiled fireplace. The far right small room near the entrance has also been brought into use fairly recently.