Pub Heritage King's Arms
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East Sussex - Eastbourne
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
This pub is currently closed (since 30/08/2023)
Listed Status: II
222 SeasideEastbourne
BN22 7QX
Tel: (01323) 722274
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/250140895103180
Nearby Station: Eastbourne
Station Distance: 1300m
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
01323 722274 No website Grade II listed LPA: Eastbourne
It’s seen better days but this piece of fin de siècle pub-building stands up well to contemporary glories in Liverpool or London. Its date, 1900, is inscribed on a bracket to the corner entrance while the building tells us much about the aspirations and functioning of grand pubs a century or so ago. That it doubled as a hotel is clear from the mosaic inscription at the right-hand entrance. Don’t miss the rare pictorial tiling at the entrance by Carters of Poole showing a couple of eightenth-century anglers about to enjoy the blandishments of ‘Ye Kings Arms’. What is now the main bar would have been subdivided as the surviving inscriptions of ‘saloon bar’, ‘private bar’, ‘bottle & jug’ in the etched window glass indicate. Exactly where these various spaces were organised is, tantalisingly, far from clear especially as new servery layout and fittings were installed under plans of 1981. There is some wondrously outrageous embellishment to the cast-iron columns and other decorative details. At the rear is a large room with a couple of skylights that looks as though it was a billiard or function room. Again there is some boisterous, festive decoration in the friezes with near-naked ladies set among swirling decoration while in the skylights playful cherubs cavort and play musical instruments.
Rebuilt in 1900 (in stone on a bracket above the corner entrance), architect thought to be A Dixon, this is an opulent establishment that stands comparison which similar pubs in, say, London or Birmingham. Three and a half storeys, granite-faced ground floor with a balcony on the first floor and topped off with a full-height left corner wooden octagonal tower with copper roof and small cupola. The right-hand entrance lobby has a mosaic floor inscribed "KINGS ARMS HOTEL" and decorative tiles by Carters of Poole with the top panel depicting a couple of eighteenth-century anglers in C18 dress pulling up in their boat alongside "Ye Kings Arms" with landlord bearing a tray with a bottle and glasses to fortify their spirits, and lower panel with grapes and urn.
The main bar is now a single space but various room names in the several doors in two vestibule entrances show how it would originally have been compartmentalised. Look for 'Saloon', Private Bar' and Bottle & Jug' on etched windows featuring birds with flowers and leaves. It retains the original panelled bar counter with bracketed pilasters at regular intervals but the bar back fitting looks modern. The high ceilinged room has an elaborate plastered cornice with brackets and floral motifs, chevron-patterned columns with Ionic capitals and an original fireplace with oval paterae, decorated panels and pilasters. Ceiling design is "rose and cross' rounded patterns - now painted a dark green. Two columns with decorative capitals and corbels of female heads support the main beam. No fixed seating.
Large rear room with two skylights. The body of the room has a deep frieze with cartouches displaying a woman naked but for a discreetly placed towel (listed description says scrollwork, terms and oval medallions). The elaborate frieze below the skylights have panels of putti dancing, playing musical instruments and playing. This room which has a less ornate vestibule entrance is currently used as a games room. Listed building description states the first floor retains its large function room with original moulded cornice, dado rail and French windows.
Full Description
The main bar is now a single space but various room names in the several doors in two vestibule entrances show how it would originally have been compartmentalised. Look for 'Saloon', Private Bar' and Bottle & Jug' on etched windows featuring birds with flowers and leaves. It retains the original panelled bar counter with bracketed pilasters at regular intervals but the bar back fitting looks modern. The high ceilinged room has an elaborate plastered cornice with brackets and floral motifs, chevron-patterned columns with Ionic capitals and an original fireplace with oval paterae, decorated panels and pilasters. Ceiling design is "rose and cross' rounded patterns - now painted a dark green. Two columns with decorative capitals and corbels of female heads support the main beam. No fixed seating.
Large rear room with two skylights. The body of the room has a deep frieze with cartouches displaying a woman naked but for a discreetly placed towel (listed description says scrollwork, terms and oval medallions). The elaborate frieze below the skylights have panels of putti dancing, playing musical instruments and playing. This room which has a less ornate vestibule entrance is currently used as a games room. Listed building description states the first floor retains its large function room with original moulded cornice, dado rail and French windows.
