Marble Arch

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Greater Manchester - Manchester

Three star - A pub interior of exceptional national historic importance

Listed Status: II

73 Rochdale Road, Collyhurst
Manchester
M4 4HY

Tel: (0161) 832 5914

Email: marblearch@marblebeers.com

Website https://marblebeers.com/the-marble-arch/

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

Real Ale: Yes

Real Cider: Yes

Lunchtime Meals: Yes

Evening Meals: Yes

Nearby Station: Manchester Victoria

Station Distance: 600m

Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Victoria (Manchester)) and Bus Stop

Bus: Yes

View on: Whatpub

This pub, built in 1888 (dated on the side elevation gable) by local architects Darbyshire & Smith is remarkable in two main respects. First is the use of Gothic features in the architecture, which is an unusual choice for a pub, being more associated with churches and educational building in the Victorian era. Second, the interior has a stunning display of ceramic work. The long narrow bar has walls lined with glazed bricks in shades of yellow, cream and green. Above is a wonderful frieze flourishing a litany of alcoholic (and cordial) delights. The ceiling features more glazed bricks forming low jack-arches on iron girders, at the ends of which are ceramic brackets. There is also mosaic flooring, mostly in cream and blue with inset flowers, and this slopes markedly downhill from the Rochdale Road end. It is very obvious that the original servery was much longer than the present one. After a tasteless refurbishment in 1954 the arches, walls and mosaic flooring remained covered up until revealed again in 1989 and the present counter, fireplace and seating were installed. The Marble Brewery was established at the rear of the building in 1997 although brewing now takes place off-site.
A very special pub with an impressive exterior and even more impressive interior. It was built in 1888 to designs by local architects Darbyshire and Smith. The ground floor is faced with polished granite and has the unusual feature of some Gothic detailing; unusual because Gothic was usually associated with churches and therefore rarely used for pubs. The interior consists of one long narrow room with a noticeable slope down to the servery.

The room has a splendid mainly blue and cream colourful mosaic floor but you will notice a large area of red quarry tiles - this was originally the site of a long bar counter which was removed in 1989. In its place is a small counter with green tiled panels along it. All the walls of the room are lined with glazed bricks of various shades of yellow, cream and greens. There is a wonderful frieze around the room with the wording 'Ale Porter (covered) Whiskies Gin Brandies Cordials Wines Gin Rum Ale Porter (over main door) Brandies Whiskies Rum Brandies Cordials'. The room is topped off by a ceiling of glazed bricks in a number of segments each with a centrepiece of four tiles in relief which create a ceiling rose. The ceiling is held up by iron girders and a number of ceramic supports.

There is a good marble and carved wood surround fireplace but it looks modern and the fixed seating is of no great age. Three front doors indicate the room was originally sub divided. In the lobby of the third door is another mosaic floor. There is a number of stained and leaded panels above the entrance door. Modern vestibule entrance. At the rear down a L-shaped passage is a modern small dining room brought into use in recent years. At the rear of the property is the Marble Brewery.
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