Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Pubs & Clubs
Beers & Breweries
Join Us
Heritage Pub
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits

Kings Head, Bristol

60 Victoria Street, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6DE (View on Google Map)
No website available

Handy for Temple Meads station & Castle Park, this classic small pub, originally dating from around 1660, is identified by CAMRA as having a nationally important historic interior- the magnificent Mid Victorian bar back is the second oldest known to CAMRA in the UK. Now in the hands of the local Good Chemistry brewery, a sensitive refurbishment has seen the addition of William Morris style wallpaper. A narrow area around the bar leads to the 'Tramcar Bar' at the rear. The pub serves four cask ales, which usually include at least one from Good Chemistry and others chosen from small independent breweries across the nation, with the aim to always have a dark beer available. Real #notfromconcentrate cider is available from Pulpt. No food is served; customers are welcome to bring their own - there is an Italian restaurant virtually next door, and a sandwich shop and bakers opposite, There are tables and chairs for outside drinking in the warmer weather. Dogs are welcome. Socials include Instagram, search for kingsheadbs1. Accepts payment only by card.

Historic Interest

CAMRA nationally important historic interior

Information for this venue is provided by the Bristol & District Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
City of Bristol (B)
Last updated
20/02/2024
Last surveyed
05/02/2024
Pub ID
AVN/183
Asset of Community Value

Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance

Listed status: II

The long, narrow building plot plot no doubt reflects a medieval site but the present building dates back to the mid 17th-century. Inside is a bar stretching right back to another entrance which faces the late-medieval Temple Church bombed out in the Second World War. Along the right hand wall is a magnificent mid-Victorian bar-back with a series of arches and high-level lettering advertising various drinks. It has a marble shelf. The panelled counter no doubt dates from the same scheme (although the top is from 1998). Most of the rear part of the pub contains the delightful ‘Tramcar Bar’ – a snug supposedly shaped like an old tramcar! Its insertion, presumably in the late 19th or early 20th century, led to the cutting back of the counter, hence the ‘stranded’ bar-back in this area. Prior to this, apart from the small seated area at the front, this was presumably a largely stand-up drinking establishment. Don’t miss the glazed panel advertising ‘Burton Ales and Dublin Stout’ and, beside this, an old pressure gauge from the days of gas lighting. Two gas fittings survive in the Tramcar Bar and four (converted to electricity) in the servery. There are two tiny WCs formed by part-glazed partitions adjacent to the rear wall: note the ‘Ladies Only’ on the glass door panel.

General information about historic pub interiors

A mid 17th-century building with a wonderful long, narrow, one room bar, the Kings Head can justifiably boast a unique interior and some of the oldest bar fittings in the whole of the UK. In the early 1970s it was under threat from redevelopment of the area and only a petition by regulars which included getting it statutory listed saved both the pub and its rare interior. The interior was refurnished about 1865 and again probably about the turn of the nineteenth century. Running all along the right hand wall is a wonderful bar-back of c.1865 with a series of arches and high-level gilded, green and black glass panels advertising various drinks. This may be the oldest surviving bar back in the country, with the other possible contenders being the Victoria, Bayswater, London W2 dating from 1864, and the Red Cow, Richmond

There is a bar counter also of c.1865 (the counter top, however, is of 1998 and replaced a Formica one from c.1960) with decorative brackets stretching halfway into the building with only a narrow area for drinking in front of it and around the front window where they is some old fixed seating.

The majority of the rear half of the pub contains the curiously named 'Tramcar Bar' - a snug shaped like a tramcar with just a narrow passage running alongside it to give access to the snug, toilets and rear door. It looks as though the counter was much larger but it seems it was cut back for the insertion of the delightful partitioned-off area probably around c.1900. There’s no proof but all of the fixtures and fittings bear all the hall marks of George Parnall’s, a company based nearby to the pub as they were one of the finest bar and hotel fitters who claim one of their last ever jobs was fitting out the QE2. Prior to the insertion of the tramcar bar, apart from the small seated area at the front under the window, this was probably a stand-up only drinking establishment. Originally the bar counter with a marble top ran all the way to the rear.

The six sections of the bar back fitting in the front area have gilded panels at the top advertising 'Claret', 'Hollands' (a Dutch gin), 'Cigars', 'Mineral Waters', 'Cigars' and 'Port & Sherry'. In the Tramcar bar part the wording above the five panels is 'French Brandy', 'Irish & Scotch Whiskey' (note the 'e' - nowadays the Irish product is always spelled with an ‘e’ and the Scotch one without, a distinction that only became normal in the twentieth century.) 'Jamaica Rum', 'London Gin', and 'Cordials'. Note that the shelf of the bar back fitting at bar counter level is of white marble. Most sections of the bar back have a mirrored panel. The fourth section of the back fitting contains a colourful large glass panel in gold, green, cream and red advertising 'BURTON ALES AND DUBLIN STOUT' (signed by one, Fred Brean of Bedminster and dated 1860). A restoration in the early 1970s saw this brought back to its finest glory having previously been covered in 16 coats of emulsion. The fifth 'Cigars' panel is also a door to private quarters. The back fitting has columns with capitals holding up the top section. Look for the old gas pressure gauge that enabled the landlord to adjust the pressure within the pub to accommodate fluctuations in the supply – such as when the street lights were turned on!

All the way down the left hand side of the pub is old dado tongue and groove panelling, which is also on the right hand side of the 'tramcar' section. The entrance to the snug is via a door at the rear held open by an iron rod. The wooden partition walls of the snug have a glazed panel at both the front and rear. The short section the other side of the door is held in place by a cast-iron stay to the ceiling, it has seating round the sides and bell-pushes from the days of waiter service. Look for the gas lit Cigar or Pipe Lighter on top of left-hand bench-back in the Tramcar Bar. There is a hatch / flap / doorway at the bar end of the tramcar bar for service and access for staff. There are two tiny toilets (WCs) formed by part glazed partitions situated adjacent to the rear wall - note the 'Ladies Only' in black and red on cream coloured glass panel on the door. The inner rear door has a 'Bar' etched glass panel.

General information about historic pub interiors
Seen some incorrect or missing details? let us know.
Opening
Monday
4:00pm - 11:00pm
Tuesday
4:00pm - 11:00pm
Wednesday
4:00pm - 11:00pm
Thursday
Noon - 11:00pm
Friday
Noon - Midnight
Saturday
Noon - Midnight
Sunday
2:00pm - 10:00pm
Spotted an error with the opening times? Let us know

Current beers

This Pub serves 4 changing beers and 0 regular beers.

Kings Head, Bristol

Add it to our list and share what's currently being served!.
Are you a CAMRA member? Contribute by submitting a beer score
Spot a Beer
Submit beer score
Changing

Changing beers typically include: Burnt Mill (varies) , Good Chemistry (varies) , Saltaire (varies)

The venue's range of changing beers regularly includes the following rare beer styles: Porter, Stout

Source: Local

Do you know what Regular beers or changing beers this Pub serves? Let us know
Your scores
Join CAMRA to access beer scoring and view scores for other pubs.
Become a member.
Retrieving scores
You have no beer scores submitted.

Facilities
Garden Garden
Some tables at the front.
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Events Events
Occasional Tap takeovers
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Cider Real Cider
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Quiet Quiet
Transport
Close to bus routes (100m)
1, 2, 2A, 70, 39
Nearby Station (600m)
Bristol Temple Meads
Are these pub facilities or features correct? Let us know

Nearby

View All
December 2023. (Pub, Key). Published on 06-12-2023
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Shakespeare
Pub
Real Ale Available
78 Victoria Street, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6DR
0.0 miles
Exterior - July 2018. (Pub, External, Key). Published on 13-08-2018
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Cornubia
Pub
Real Ale Available | Real Cider Available
142 Temple Street, Bristol, BS1 6EN
0.0 miles
Uploaded Nov 2012. (Pub, External). Published on 11-12-2012
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Fleece
Pub
Real Ale Available
12 St Thomas Street, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6JJ
0.1 miles
(Pub, External, Key). Published on 27-04-2014
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Hilton Garden Inn
Pub
Temple Way, Bristol, BS1 6BF
0.1 miles
Array of beers - July 2018. (Bar, Key). Published on 13-08-2018
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Seven Stars
Pub
Real Ale Available | Real Cider Available
1 Thomas Lane, Bristol, BS1 6JG
0.1 miles
(Pub, External, Key). Published on 29-11-2019
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Bocabar
Pub
Fermentation Buildings,Hawkins Lane, Finzels Reach, Bristol, BS1 6JQ
0.2 miles
(Pub, External, Key). Published on 07-03-2018
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Bridge Inn
Pub
Real Ale Available | Real Cider Available
16 Passage Street, Bristol, BS2 0JF
0.2 miles
(Pub, External, Key). Published on 04-04-2018
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Pasture
Pub
2 Portwall Lane, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6NB
0.2 miles
(Pub). Published on 05-06-2013
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Toto
Pub
125 Redcliff Street, Redcliffe, Bristol, BS1 6HU
0.2 miles
(External, Key). Published on 27-11-2014
You have visited this venue 0 times
View all visits
Bristol Cruising Club
Club
Real Ale Available | Real Cider Available
Sabrina 6, Redcliffe Backs, Bristol, BS1 6LY
0.2 miles

Need accommodation?

 

 

Home
© Campaign for Real Ale 2023 - 2024 (ce-9)