Crown Inn

Pub Heritage Group have recently carried out a regrading of Real Heritage Pubs - click here for full details

Surrey - Chiddingfold

One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest

Listed Status: II*

The Green, Petworth Road
Chiddingfold
GU8 4TX

OS ref: SU960355

Tel: (01428) 682255

Email: enquiries@thecrownchiddingfold.com

Website http://www.thecrownchiddingfold.com/

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

Real Ale: Yes

Lunchtime Meals: Yes

Evening Meals: Yes

Public Transport: Near Bus Stop

Bus: Yes

View on: Whatpub

This magnificent old building has fourteenth-century origins and certainly appears to have been let as an inn in 1383. It has a two-bay central hall area (now divided horizontally) and, at the sides, jettied cross-wings. What is of interest for this book is, of course, the bar at the front and which sits within the hall area. Here, as elsewhere, there is lots of heavy timbering and it is a wonderful place for a drink in historic surroundings. The inglenook fireplace seems to be an in situ, late medieval/Tudor feature. It’s hard to know when this bar assumed its present appearance but there is little doubt it is from at least the early/mid 1950s when the entire building underwent a major restoration by its then owners which made the most of the historic ambience. Some of what we see in the bar may not be as old as it might wish to appear (e.g. some of the woodwork is in fact quite modern but has been ‘distressed’). It is known that the restaurant area with its wonderful panelling, fireplace and ceiling was fitted out in the 1950s using material brought from elsewhere. Several windows have stained glass medallions which appear to be old but you never know!
A magnificent inn overlooking the extensive village green - a good example of a 1950s refitting of a hotel, restaurant and bar. It is claimed to have been an inn since 1383 but and there was a restoration in the last century. There is a good set of heraldic panes with a royalist theme on the exterior window in the bar and rear restaurant. The bar is a wonderful room with masses of old timber-work, a Tudor style inglenook fireplace with decoration in stone, and a servery at one end. Its hard to know when the bar took its present form but it may well be in the inter-war period. There is much woodwork in the bar back fitting with some modern additions.

Magnificent restaurant room at the rear with 17th century fielded panelling all around with carved decoration above, the stone fireplace with 1615 cut into it has an elaborate timber mantelpiece and rich geometric plaster ceiling decoration. large painting of hounds and horsemen by Basil Bradley dated 1672. Another fireplace in bar.
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