Pub Heritage Star Inn
Pub Heritage Group have recently carried out a regrading of Real Heritage Pubs - click here for full details
East Sussex - Old Heathfield
Two star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic interest
Listed Status: II
Church StreetOld Heathfield
TN21 9AH
Tel: (01435) 863570
Email: chappellhatpeg@aol.com
Website http://starinnoldheathfield.co.uk/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheStarInnOldHeathfield
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
View on: Whatpub
This old country pub has undergone some changes in recent times but none that unduly detracts from its overall historic character nor the utter charm of its setting. It developed during the interwar period from a single-room (now the small tap room to the right) to incorporate the larger left-hand area with its inglenook fireplace, fitting this out as an L-shaped saloon with a counter in distinctive interwar style. The walls have dado panelling and fixed seating and a small snug area has been more recently created (rear left). The tap room too has more panelling, fixed seating aqnd a fireplace which may result from some prewar re-fitting, although the old timber on the far right-hand was added in the 1990s, soon after the gents’ toilets were repositioned here (replacing their outside predecessors). The separate function/ dining room upstairs, with its unusual arching ceiling, its panelled walls, and its marble fireplace (although possibly a replacement) is an undoubted highlight. Until 1988, when the present internal staircase was installed, it had only been accessible from outside.
Old (Historic England state “17th century or earlier”) timber-framed inn refaced with cement and red brick, with an extension at the rear added in the 18th century. It looks like it expanded from a small public bar on the right to two public rooms in the inter-war period and there have been some changes since. Hardwood double glazed windows fitted in 1985. There is also a separate function room upstairs, accessed by an internal staircase in 1988.
Nowadays you enter via the left hand door into the L-shaped Saloon Bar with both bare wood and parquet floor (no doubt added when alterations took place in 1988) and inglenook fireplace on the left containing benches either side. The bar counter is of a distinctive inter-war style with vertical panels and sloping towards to the top; curved in the middle it continues to the rear and there is a couple of swing doors for staff. The bar back shelves attached to old vertical panels appear later additions, possibly 1977 when the bar area was remodelled. The walls are lined with dado panelling and bare wood backed fixed seating including the small snug area at the rear left; the above dado panelling attached to the staircase here is certainly a modern addition from the 1988 alterations.
A door leads to the Tap Room which was the original public bar on the right – the exterior door is no longer in use as this room is used more as a dining room nowadays so expect ‘reserved’ signs on the tables. This old bare wooden floor small room has a two-sided panelled bar counter with brackets that could be a hundred years old. The bar back consists of later shelving on a mirrored back and a lower section with an old drawer (alongside a modern sink). There is more panelled walling and bare wood backed fixed seating, which could date from inter-war times, and an old wood surround with brick interior fireplace which dates from at least the 1930s, but with a modern log burner. The timbers on the wall in the far right area is old wood but was added by a previous licensee in the 1990s. On the far right the gents’ toilets were added in 1989 to replace outside ones.
Upstairs is a function / dining room with a 'barrel' ceiling and walls lined with fielded panelling that looks to be from the inter-war times. There is a marble fireplace, possibly a later replacement. The present access of a staircase from the left hand bar was created in 1988 to replace the original exterior access from the left hand side of the building."
Full Description
Nowadays you enter via the left hand door into the L-shaped Saloon Bar with both bare wood and parquet floor (no doubt added when alterations took place in 1988) and inglenook fireplace on the left containing benches either side. The bar counter is of a distinctive inter-war style with vertical panels and sloping towards to the top; curved in the middle it continues to the rear and there is a couple of swing doors for staff. The bar back shelves attached to old vertical panels appear later additions, possibly 1977 when the bar area was remodelled. The walls are lined with dado panelling and bare wood backed fixed seating including the small snug area at the rear left; the above dado panelling attached to the staircase here is certainly a modern addition from the 1988 alterations.
A door leads to the Tap Room which was the original public bar on the right – the exterior door is no longer in use as this room is used more as a dining room nowadays so expect ‘reserved’ signs on the tables. This old bare wooden floor small room has a two-sided panelled bar counter with brackets that could be a hundred years old. The bar back consists of later shelving on a mirrored back and a lower section with an old drawer (alongside a modern sink). There is more panelled walling and bare wood backed fixed seating, which could date from inter-war times, and an old wood surround with brick interior fireplace which dates from at least the 1930s, but with a modern log burner. The timbers on the wall in the far right area is old wood but was added by a previous licensee in the 1990s. On the far right the gents’ toilets were added in 1989 to replace outside ones.
Upstairs is a function / dining room with a 'barrel' ceiling and walls lined with fielded panelling that looks to be from the inter-war times. There is a marble fireplace, possibly a later replacement. The present access of a staircase from the left hand bar was created in 1988 to replace the original exterior access from the left hand side of the building."
