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This pub is listed in CAMRA’s National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors as: “A pub with a regionally important historic interior”. It is a uniquely traditional village local, which is at least 300 years old and unscathed by the passing of time.
The unspoiled three-roomed interior consists of a traditional public bar to the right of the entrance corridor, which is the only room with a servery. The public bars unpretentious ambience is enhanced by uncovered quarry tile floor, plentiful photographs showing Ibstock in bygone times and a solid fuel heating stove with stovepipe rising to join the chimney just below first floor level.
To the left of the entrance corridor is the door to the lounge bar, with the word Telephone inscribed large across its middle rail, as apparently this room is where the pubs telephone used to be. This room also has uncovered quarry tile floors plus an open fireplace and seating which came from the former chapel next door.
The lounge is also known as the snug, but as the locals suppose it to be for those with an unsocial disposition, they refer to it as the Mardy Room.
Larger than the other two rooms put together, through the second door on the left, is the pool room with one central pool table and rudimentary fixed bench seating along the right hand side wall. Apparently this room was formally the living quarters, but prior to this, sometime around the 1930’s, it was used as a doctor’s surgery; a splendidly ingenious inducement to motivate persons with Latrophobia (a fear of doctors) to overcome their anxiety.
Out back is a partially covered courtyard with timber garden furniture.
Bass plus 2 guest beers
Two star - A pub interior of very special national historic interest
Listed status: Not listed
A Georgian pub whose original two rooms still exist within an expanded layout. Left of the entrance is the snug, or Mardy Room as the locals call it. This has a red quarry-tiled floor, Victorian fixed seating and inset cupboards plus a modern surround to an old fireplace moved from what is now the pool room. That room, also left of the corridor, was originally living quarters, then between the wars, a doctor’s surgery. The third room is the bar with its still-used inter-war stove whose flue-pipe rises up and out of the side of the room - a rare sight indeed. In the Sixties, ply panels were attached to the bar counter along with a Formica top and the bar back was altered at the same time, only one piece of original ornate fretwork surviving. The ply wall-panelling is also from that period. Features elsewhere include ornate cornices and mouldings in the corridor, sash windows and original doors (with new glass).
This Georgian pub has retained its original layout of two (now three) public rooms. In the hallway the off-sales window has been painted over and blocked off on the other side, but at least is still there. Further along the corridor used to be the "horse-gate door" to the bar, but is now a simple drop down shelf. On the left is the door to the snug, or the Mardy room", as the locals know it! This retains a red quarry tiled floor, Victorian fixed seating around most of the room and inset Victorian cupboards and a modern fireplace surround containing an old fireplace which was originally in what is now the pool room.
The second door on the left leads to a pool room which used to be the living quarters and, at some stage, a doctors surgery (1930ish) and although this has been further opened out doesn't detract from the overall layout. Interestingly, it does have basic wall bench seating along the right hand side of the room which looks old, inset Victorian cupboards but the dado panelling looks modern, The pantry at the end of this room still has the original meat-hooks in the ceiling (not seen).
The third room is the quarry tiled floored bar, which does still have the large still-in-use stove with the flue pipe rising up and out the side of the room, however the bar counter has ply panels added to the front and a Formica top from the 1960s and bar back have been altered probably at the same time and only a piece of original ornate fretwork remains above the bar. The Gaskell & Chambers handpumps date from 1961 (3) and 1964 (1) suggesting that was the time of the changes. Ply panelling was added to the walls in the 1960s and later painted over. Other features in the pub include ornate cornices and moulding in the corridor, sash windows, original doors (new glass). The etched glass doors at the side of the pub were taken out to make way for the gents and these entrances blocked off.
This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 1 regular beer.
Waggon & Horses, Ibstock