Saracens Head, Warrington

A substantial turn of last century brick built pub that was the brewery tap for Greenall Whitley's Wilderspool situated across the road. It still retains five rooms and many quality original fittings. The front door leads into a splendid vestibule created by colourful stained and leaded screens / partitions walls including two pictorial panels of a Saracens head and others of fruit. Look for the rare folding draught screen attached to the vestibule. The public bar has what looks like the original counter as the unusual panelled frontage matches the lower panels of the vestibule and the line of the counter matches the decorative plasterwork ceiling. The bar back fitting is modern, the fine carved wood surround and marble detail on the fireplace look original but the interior including the tiling is modern, and the room has a good cornice.

On the front right a doorway leads to the front lounge with original fixed seating with carved bench ends which curves around the front bay window, the tiled, cast iron and wood surround fireplace could be imported as it is different to the public bar one, two good ceiling roses. The snug on the second right has a doorway, horseshoe-shaped original fixed seating with carved bench ends, the small cast iron fireplace could be old, good stained and leaded lower exterior windows and ceiling roses. Next is an open staircase with a panelled dado, good newel post and on the first floor landing colourful stained and leaded windows.

At the rear right the original baronial-style function room (or snooker room?) has been truncated in recent years by a new wooden partition wall and the smaller area is in use as a pool room with a fine original wood surround fireplace but the cast iron inner is modern with a bevelled oval mirror in the mantelpiece. The rear middle bar has good, but modern bar counter, as is the bar back but the fixed seating may be original and a small alcove off this bar the fixed seating is the original. The bar on the front left retains its original fixed seating but has modern bar fittings.

There is a shallow vestibule for the door on the left side of the building and a draught screen by the gents' has three colourful 'GW&Co' stained and leaded panels. Look for the old mirror attached to the main entrance porch - in olden times customers drinking in the main bar could spot the tram as it came across the bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal and heading for Warrington centre so they could drink up and get to the tram stop across the road in good time! There are stables at the rear. Upstairs room ?? Bowling Green??

2014 WhatPub says 'Closed for refurbishment'.

Update 2015: WhatPub says "Re-opened, fully refurbished with a contemporary feel."