Pub Heritage Peasant
Pub Heritage Group have recently carried out a regrading of Real Heritage Pubs - click here for full details
Greater London Central - London
Two star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic interest
This pub is currently closed (since 05/03/2023)
Listed Status: II
240 St John StreetLondon, Finsbury
EC1V 4PH
Tel: (020) 7336 7726
Email: eat@thepeasant.co.uk
Website http://www.thepeasant.co.uk/
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Nearby Station: Farringdon
Station Distance: 650m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (Farringdon) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Three-storey brick pub rebuilt 1889-90 to the design of H.J. Newton which, although now open plan, is worth a visit as you can clearly see how it was originally divided by partitions into six small rooms and a lobby. It still retains its original bar counter, original bar-back fitting and a plaster ceiling of intersecting circles. in the former main lobby is a splendid large tiled painting depicting St George slaying the dragon with a relief-pattern tiled dado below. If you take a close look at the horse's head you will see a rosette and around it a cracked tile - this is damage from shrapnel in WWII and the rosette painted on to cover it up. The mosaic floor is exposed and includes a decorative ‘The George and Dragon’ in the former lobby area of the left-hand entrance and also confirms that the present vestibule entrance is a later additions. Take a look at the mosaic floor and you will clearly see that markings of where the partitions were situated – two snugs to the right of the present entrance (also the floor indicates a slight change to the bar counter position here); two snugs directly to the left; and off the former lobby/passage at the rear were another two snugs.
Behind the bar back fitting there is a Publican's Office but the door to it from the middle of the servery has been blocked up.
Behind the bar back fitting there is a Publican's Office but the door to it from the middle of the servery has been blocked up.
Three-storey pub of red brick rebuilt 1889-90 to the design of H.J. Newton. The ground floor has a timber pub front, granite dado, pedimented entrances with richly ornamented tympana and spandrels. At the top of the building is a balustraded parapet; also central semi-circular pediment to west and north elevation. The pediments have dormers with round-headed windows and stone relief decoration with roundels bearing the figure of St George. Corner bay surmounted by dormer.
The decorative mosaic floor indicates the pub was originally divided into seven distinct compartments separated by partitions. There were originally four exterior doors. The mosaic floor indicates that off the former lobby/passage on the left there were two snugs at the rear. Also, there were two snugs to the right of the present entrance. The room on the rear right has changed – the mosaic floor indicates a new wall has been added to create a passage at the rear of the pub. The decorative mosaic by the right-hand door includes a dragon, grapes etc.
From the front left-hand door a lobby created by a partition ran to the rear. As you enter there is a decorative ‘THE GEORGE AND DRAGON' in mosaic. The left hand wall has floor to ceiling tiling including a splendid multi-coloured large tiled painting depicting St George slaying the dragon with a relief-pattern tiled dado below by Webb and Company of 94 Euston Road. If you take a close look at the horse's head you will see a rosette and around it a cracked tile - this is damage from shrapnel in WWII and the rosette painted on to cover it up. The tiling may continue beneath modern timber dado to rear. At the rear near the staircase to the first floor the mosaic tile floor also incorporates a St George slaying the dragon scene. Above the left hand side there is a fibrous plaster ceiling of intersecting circles and what looks like a skylight.
The original curved bar counter survives in its original position apart from a small straight section on the right-hand side, as indicated by the mosic floor. Here there is a modern replacement which is very similar in style. The original bar-back fitting has been retained. Behind the bar back fitting there is the original Publican's Office with the door on the far left of the servery – the mosaic floor indicates there have been no changes to the layout. The mosaic floor also confirms that the present corner vestibule entrance is a later addition.
The upstairs bare wood floored dining room has a bar back where the lower part looks modern but the upper part is an elegant mirrored fitting with glass shelves and possibly imported. There is a largish metal fireplace with old fireback and a decorative plaster cornice.
Full Description
The decorative mosaic floor indicates the pub was originally divided into seven distinct compartments separated by partitions. There were originally four exterior doors. The mosaic floor indicates that off the former lobby/passage on the left there were two snugs at the rear. Also, there were two snugs to the right of the present entrance. The room on the rear right has changed – the mosaic floor indicates a new wall has been added to create a passage at the rear of the pub. The decorative mosaic by the right-hand door includes a dragon, grapes etc.
From the front left-hand door a lobby created by a partition ran to the rear. As you enter there is a decorative ‘THE GEORGE AND DRAGON' in mosaic. The left hand wall has floor to ceiling tiling including a splendid multi-coloured large tiled painting depicting St George slaying the dragon with a relief-pattern tiled dado below by Webb and Company of 94 Euston Road. If you take a close look at the horse's head you will see a rosette and around it a cracked tile - this is damage from shrapnel in WWII and the rosette painted on to cover it up. The tiling may continue beneath modern timber dado to rear. At the rear near the staircase to the first floor the mosaic tile floor also incorporates a St George slaying the dragon scene. Above the left hand side there is a fibrous plaster ceiling of intersecting circles and what looks like a skylight.
The original curved bar counter survives in its original position apart from a small straight section on the right-hand side, as indicated by the mosic floor. Here there is a modern replacement which is very similar in style. The original bar-back fitting has been retained. Behind the bar back fitting there is the original Publican's Office with the door on the far left of the servery – the mosaic floor indicates there have been no changes to the layout. The mosaic floor also confirms that the present corner vestibule entrance is a later addition.
The upstairs bare wood floored dining room has a bar back where the lower part looks modern but the upper part is an elegant mirrored fitting with glass shelves and possibly imported. There is a largish metal fireplace with old fireback and a decorative plaster cornice.
