Pub Heritage Old White Lion
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Greater Manchester - Bury
Three star - A pub interior of exceptional national historic importance
Listed Status: II
6 Bolton StreetBury
BL9 0LQ
Tel: None
Email: oldwhitelionbury@outlook.com
Website https://www.craftunionpubs.com/white-lion-bury
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/owlbury
Real Ale: Yes
Nearby Station: Bury Bolton Street
Station Distance: 100m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Bury Bolton Street (ELR)) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Enter this late 19th/early 20th-century pub through a recently restored revolving door and you find yourself in a drinking lobby with the servery (partly original) on the left and a large seating space on the right (the original opening to it seems to have been much widened): the latter has two broad arches spanning the seating areas. But the great attraction is the Oak Room at the rear right. It has wall panelling and a fireplace with 16th/17th-century-style decoration, a decorative plaster ceiling with Tudor roses, animal faces, lions, and birds in relief, plus a cornice of luscious grapes. The party wall to the bar side comprises a screen of painted glass with lion masks and swags. There is fixed seating with bell-pushes above. A rather remarkable feature is the hinged baffle beside the door: why it was so constructed is hard to imagine. The former commercial (now pool) room (rear left) has a stained glass window but nothing else of note.
3 storey Victorian or Edwardian building possibly for Bury Crown Brewery with a revolving door that is still in use (but may be folded back in summer). The star here is the superb Oak Room at the rear right with an etched 'Oak Room' with lion symbol in the door. This small room has quality panelling from the period 1910-20? including decoratively carved panels at the top and a splendid Tudor arch shaped carved wood surround fireplace with a brown tiled interior, a copper hood and above is a row of wooden segments including some shields. The mantelpiece is based on 17th century carved decoration with three arched sections, the central one with a shield in relief and there are three oblong carved panels above.
Towards the top of the fielded panelling are more oblong carved sections. The decorative plaster sectional ceiling includes Tudor rose symbols picked out in deep red with green painted leaves, unicorns, stags, cockerels, animal faces and birds in relief and some coats of arms; also a cornice / frieze of grapes and acanthus leaves with the grapes picked out in both yellow and deep purple and other decoration in green. The fixed seating which also dates from 1910-1920 period runs around most of the room and there are bell pushes above. On the north east corner of the room there is no seating and here the panelling looks more like c1970s work. Note the rare hinged baffle by the door. The wall to the bar side consists of a large stained and leaded screen featuring lions and there is a more modest stained and leaded window at the rear.
The rear left room with 'Commercial Room' deep etched and leaded panel has a large rear stained and leaded window but no other old fittings. Note the door in the rear passage has deep etched panels 'Toilets' and, unusually, 'Back Entrance'! Doors have massive carved mahogany door surrounds. The front two rooms have been knocked into one. The bar counter is a replacement and the bar back is a mixture of old and new woodwork - note the etched and frosted panels on the right hand side near the staircase which has a fine newel post. There is plenty of original fixed seating but the Victorian style fireplace is a replacement. There is a carved newall post at the foot of the staircase including a capital and leave symbols at the foot. Also, a part glazed partition alongside the staircase with some etched panels.
Full Description
The rear left room with 'Commercial Room' deep etched and leaded panel has a large rear stained and leaded window but no other old fittings. Note the door in the rear passage has deep etched panels 'Toilets' and, unusually, 'Back Entrance'! Doors have massive carved mahogany door surrounds. The front two rooms have been knocked into one. The bar counter is a replacement and the bar back is a mixture of old and new woodwork - note the etched and frosted panels on the right hand side near the staircase which has a fine newel post. There is plenty of original fixed seating but the Victorian style fireplace is a replacement. There is a carved newall post at the foot of the staircase including a capital and leave symbols at the foot. Also, a part glazed partition alongside the staircase with some etched panels.
