Pub Heritage Wheatsheaf
Pub Heritage Group have recently carried out a regrading of Real Heritage Pubs - click here for full details
Merseyside - St Helens
Two star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic interest
Listed Status: II
Mill LaneSt Helens, Sutton
WA9 4HN
Tel: (01744) 813994
Real ale & Cider: Real Ale
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Nearby Station: Lea Green
Station Distance: 1060m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Junction) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Designed in 1936 for brewers Greenall Whitley, this brick- and half-timbered roadhouse retains much of its original multi-room layout. The rooms, ranging from public bar (front left), a buffet (front right) to a small dining room (rear right) are named in etched glass in the doors. The bar fittings, fire surrounds and seating are mostly original. A former verandah (the long, narrow bar at rear centre) overlooks a beautifully maintained bowling green, but has been truncated at one end for the present ‘cellar’. The original cellaring was on the first floor, serviced by a hoist in a now-blocked entrance in the frontage. The Wheatsheaf has suffered dramatically from mining subsidence – hence the disconcerting (non-alcohol-induced!) sense of disequilibrium caused by the sloping floors. Much of the interior is obscured by a vast collection of football and rugby shirts and other sundry artefacts.
A large brick and part 'Brewers' Tudor' pub built in 1938 by Greenall Whitley and Company Ltd - architect W.A.Hartley, F.F.A.S. it still retains its six rooms and bowling green. The only changes appear to be the loss of the in use up to the early 1980s upstairs cellar (now a bedroom) originally serviced by a pulley system through a gated large arch, now blocked, at the front and the conversion of the off-sales into a kitchen. Pub has a renowned sloping floor and has been regularly prone to flooding. Each entrance on the left and right leads to a drinking lobby and three rooms with no connection between them.
On the left a dado panelled passage has two sets of twin doors with 'Bar Parlour' etched glass panels and leads to a lobby with more dado panelling and a hatch to the side of the servery. Note the original 'Gentlemen' and 'Ladies' illuminated hanging signs and etched wording in the tops of the doors. The rear door with 'Bar Parlour' panels leads to what is currently the pool room with an original Tudor-shaped stone fireplace painted red and cream and original fixed seating. Across a passage that leads to the rear door is a small narrow room with leaded windows overlooking the bowling green, a sliding door for service and fixed seating that may well have been added at a later date.
The larger public bar at the front has twin doors with 'Public Bar' etched panels, a large brick and stone fireplace, original fixed seating all around the room with bell-pushes, original bar counter and bar-back fitting. From the right hand side front door a dado panelled passage has two sets of twin doors with 'Buffet' and 'Smoke Room' etched glass panels and leads to a large lobby with more dado panelling and a hatch to the side of the servery. Note the original 'Ladies' illuminated hanging sign and etched wording in the top of the door.
The front bar has 'Buffet' in the twin doors, original fixed seating with bell-pushes, some dado panelling, an original bar counter, an original bar-back fitting still with shutters that can be lowered and locked to protect the spirits but no longer in use. The first rear 'Smoke Room' has a Tudor style stone fireplace painted red and cream and original fixed seating in bays. The rear right 'Dining Room' has original panelling to picture frame height, original fixed seating and a good wood surround fireplace. The only detracting factor is the amount of ‘memorabilia collections’/tat that covers most of the walls. Modernised toilets.
Full Description
On the left a dado panelled passage has two sets of twin doors with 'Bar Parlour' etched glass panels and leads to a lobby with more dado panelling and a hatch to the side of the servery. Note the original 'Gentlemen' and 'Ladies' illuminated hanging signs and etched wording in the tops of the doors. The rear door with 'Bar Parlour' panels leads to what is currently the pool room with an original Tudor-shaped stone fireplace painted red and cream and original fixed seating. Across a passage that leads to the rear door is a small narrow room with leaded windows overlooking the bowling green, a sliding door for service and fixed seating that may well have been added at a later date.
The larger public bar at the front has twin doors with 'Public Bar' etched panels, a large brick and stone fireplace, original fixed seating all around the room with bell-pushes, original bar counter and bar-back fitting. From the right hand side front door a dado panelled passage has two sets of twin doors with 'Buffet' and 'Smoke Room' etched glass panels and leads to a large lobby with more dado panelling and a hatch to the side of the servery. Note the original 'Ladies' illuminated hanging sign and etched wording in the top of the door.
The front bar has 'Buffet' in the twin doors, original fixed seating with bell-pushes, some dado panelling, an original bar counter, an original bar-back fitting still with shutters that can be lowered and locked to protect the spirits but no longer in use. The first rear 'Smoke Room' has a Tudor style stone fireplace painted red and cream and original fixed seating in bays. The rear right 'Dining Room' has original panelling to picture frame height, original fixed seating and a good wood surround fireplace. The only detracting factor is the amount of ‘memorabilia collections’/tat that covers most of the walls. Modernised toilets.
