Mug House

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Worcestershire - Claines

Two star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic interest

Listed Status: Delisted

Claines Lane
Claines
WR3 7RN

OS ref: SO852588

Tel: (01905) 456649

Email: judy@themug.co.uk

Website http://www.themug.co.uk

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/151359261562626

Real Ale: Yes

Lunchtime Meals: Yes

Nearby Station: Worcester Foregate Street

Station Distance: 3600m

Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Worcester Foregate Street) and Bus Stop

Bus: Yes

View on: Whatpub

Hidden away behind the village churchyard, this three-roomed pub occupies a part-timber-framed 15th- or 16th-century building. The original plain brick frontage was replaced in the 1980s by false timber-framing with new brick infill, with the 1980s Tudor theme replicated in the front right snug, which does retain a red brick floor and fireplace.The interior dates mostly from the 1930s with some older panelling. In the quarry-tiled, part-panelled passage, a leaded glass screen with intact sliding hatch for service is a real highlight.The pub was popular with employees of the local Rackstraws furniture works and an apprentice there reputedly made the counter and other furniture in the smoke room; this has an inter-war brick fireplace, but panelling on the two outer walls has been replaced by plasterboard. At the rear, the lounge is served by a hatch and has a fireplace and baffle from the 1930s but post-war seating from the 1970s or 1980s.
A difficult to find three-roomed pub hidden away behind the village churchyard, this part-timber-framed building dates back to 15th- or 16th century. It originally had a plain brick frontage, as the photos in the bar show, and in the 1980s it was replaced with one of false timber-framing with new brick infill. Parts of the interior have not changed much since the late 1930s. A quarry-tiled passage with earlier waist-height panelling has a glazed screen with intact sliding hatch for service and is the highlight of the pub.

The smoke room or main bar on the left has a counter reputedly constructed by an apprentice for Rackstraws Furniture Works of Worcester in the 1940s (the pub being popular with the employees of the firm). There is some old panelling and a 1930s brick fireplace, but the two outer walls have lost their panelling and replaced with plasterboard when the windows were renewed in the 1980s. The small snug on the right has a red-brick floor, but otherwise is a 1980s Tudor theme. The lounge at the rear served by a hatch, retains a brick fireplace and a baffle from the 1930s, but the seating looks more 1970s or 80s. The pub has outside toilets in a modern brick extension.

The name 'Mug House' applies to a number of riverside inns in Worcestershire (& South Shropshire) - they flourished with river traffic carrying goods and people - the River Severn has many such pubs. Various explanations exist for the name - Worcestershire Historic Pubs says 'Crude earthenware beer mugs were much favoured by landlords along the river, probably for their low replacement cost if damaged or stolen by passing boatmen compared to expensive glass or pewter ones and the name stuck so a number of them adopted it as the pubs official name. In Britain the use of the word 'Pot' as in 'Pint Pot' harks back to the use of similar pottery mugs.'
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