Situated in the heart of historic Harrow on the Hill, this is a popular and friendly Fuller’s house. Built in 1901 and grade II-listed, it is on the National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. Food is served until 9.30 pm daily,Sunday 8 pm; reservations are recommended for Sunday lunchtime. Three real coal fires help to keep the pub warm and cosy in the colder months and a secluded beer garden is popular during the summer. The pub hosts regular themed evenings such as weekly quiz, occasional real ale festivals & live music last Wednesday every month. Folk music night every Monday, Last Wednesday of the month acoustic night. Winner of Branch Harrow Pub of the Year 2017, 2019 and 2022.
Historic Interest
Grade II listing:- Public House. 1901. Red brick, the upper storeys roughcast and colourwashed; machine-tile roofs. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys and attic; 4-window range. Central 2-window range projects and has a 6-light mullioned window with 4x2 paned overlights to each casement. All windows to ground floor with engraved glass. Fascia cornice above wraps round into recessed parts right and left and into west elevation. Main entrance recessed to left: brick piers carry short brick columns, plastered and painted to resemble marble. Double-leaf half-glazed doors to north and glazed leaded window to west over panelled dado. First floor with 4 6/1 horned sashes, that to left blocked by sign board. Central brick cornice below gable with one 6/1 horned sash. Date plaque in gable head: 1901. Stack to front roof slope of main gabled range, and 2 further stacks to east. East elevation with one 2-light casement with 4x2 paned oversight, followed by entrances to off-sales and to club room: both doors with 2 panels and a pediment and upper glazing of 6 x 6 panes. Continuous cornice over doors. Further 3-tight casement to the south. First floor of east elevation with 4 6/1 horned sashes, that to right blocked with signboard. 2 similar sashes in attic gable. INTERIOR: saloon bar with glazed timber screen containing low doorway moved north from original position between east doorways. One brick partition removed. Lincrusta dado. Cast-iron fire insert in south wall. Central timber bar with glass racks and rear mirror. Plain public bar to west, with a cast-iron fire insert below a mirror. Billiard room with linenfold panelling and a timber fire surround.
Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance
Listed status: II
An early Edwardian pub that retains much of its original layout, including bar counters, bar back and a rare glazed screen.
The Castle was rebuilt by Fuller, Smith & Turner in 1901 but may have originated in the early 18th century. It consists of four rooms, the most interesting of which is the main space because this still has a timber screen (with low service door) dividing it into two. There must have been another such screen further back, since there is a blocked doorway down the side of the pub which would have accessed a snug or off-sales. On the right are a pair of smaller rooms, the front one of which has a tiny hatch to the servery: the rear one has a large glazed hatch. At the back is the final room, used as a restaurant, with wood-block flooring and imitation panelling. Parts of the fireplaces are modern insertions. Outside there is highly attractive ironwork over the main entrance and a mosaic floor panel with the pub’s name.
Not far from Harrow School, the Castle was re-built in 1901 and has kept most of its original layout and fittings. The only real change is shown by an unused door down the side passage. When you are inside you would not know it was a door: it was the entrance to a separate off sales and the partition creating it was removed some time ago and the tiny area absorbed into the rear bar. Outside there is attractive 'The Castle' ironwork over the main entrance and a mosaic floor panel also with the name of the pub.
The front bare-boarded bar retains its original curving counter but the pot shelves on both bar counters are modern. This small room has a fine vestibule entrance with the figure '1' on the interior side - formerly a requirement of the licensing magistrates. The front bar is separated from the rear bar by a splendid and rare part glazed partition almost reaching the ceiling which has a low service door with only three feet headroom originally for staff to get from one part of the pub to another.
The rear bar also has a vestibule entrance with leaded glass panels and the figure '3' on the inside. This bare-boarded floor room retains its original curving counter and bar back shelves on a glazed series of windows surrounding a (now unused) hatch serving the rear room on the right. To the left and right are two small back fittings with bevelled mirror panels. The original fireplace remains but it has some modern tiles and the gents' in this area has been modernised. At the back a door with the figure '5' on it leads to a large room described in the listing description as a 'Billiard Room', which has a wood-block flooring and imitation panelling on the walls. The door on the left originally led to the gents', and the fireplace has some modern additions.
There are two small rooms on the right. The front bare boarded one (now called the Clock Room) has an old cast-iron fireplace and a very small window from the servery perhaps 'for supervision purposes'. The rear right small room (now called the Snug) with doorways to/from the front and rear was hitherto served via the (now unused) large hatch to the servery. The dado panelling looks modern and the room has lost its fireplace.
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This Pub serves 1 changing beer and 3 regular beers.
Castle, Harrow
Changing beers typically include: Dark Star (varies) , Fuller's (varies) , Thornbridge (varies)