Pub Heritage Woodies at the Junction Inn
Hampshire - Southampton
Two star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic interest
Listed Status: II
21 Priory RoadSouthampton
SO17 2JZ
Tel: (023) 8039 1330
Email: junction@woodiesgroup.com
Website https://www.woodieswinebar.co.uk/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/107860775742125
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Station: Yes
Nearby Station: St Denys
Station Distance: 200m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (St Denys) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Handy for St Denys station and a master-class in the way pubs used to be. It was built in 1876 and the fittings probably date back to that time. Marstons took over from the Winchester brewery in 1929 and added their imprint with a series of frosted windows but these have recently been removed, They gave the various old room names and their actual existence can still be ascertained, partly thanks to the survival of remnants of the internal screens. On the right is the public bar (not actually named and now perhaps the combination of two spaces, hence the two outside doors), then the jug and bottle, private bar and saloon. What's extraordinary is the way these small drinkers’ spaces wrap around the serving area and are almost subordinate to it in scale. Unusually there is a Victorian fireplace within the serving area. After a fire in 2012 (which affected the upper floors) the woodwork in the pub was, unfortunately, given a pastel hue but a recent refurbishment has resulted in a more appropriate colour scheme. In the 1990s there were changes on the left-hand side and the room behind the saloon was created out of the former ground-floor cellar and another room was created in an extension. The toilets on the left are modern but have an old, relocated penny-in-the-slot machine.
The Junction is a good example of how many pubs were laid out in the past. There are still a number of small rooms around a bar each separated by low timber and glass partitions – including an intact one with low headroom! Built 1876 as the Wyndham Arms and with a balustrade on the right side of the building it was remodelled internally in the late 19th century and a large portion of these fittings remain. There were further changes after Marstons bought the Winchester Brewery in 1929.
There is a splendid Victorian curved bar counter and a two-sided elaborate bar back with sets of drawers in both parts; also a Victorian fireplace behind the bar - a very rare survivor. Attached to the bar counter are remnants of the glazed partitions that separated the Public Bar on the right (possibly two small rooms at some time in the past), the Bottle & Jug – the partition was removed and two pieces of it are now attached to the wall of the public bar; a Private Bar - and a Smoke Room on the left. The partition between the public bar and former Bottle and Jug is a very rare survivor having a door with a clearance of only 5 ft 6 ins. There is lots of old panelling around the pub and a Victorian tiled fireplace. Note the port-hole windows which can still be opened in warm weather.
In the 1990s there were changes on the left hand side and the room behind the Smoke Room was created out of the former cellar. This is venue for folk nights. Also, another room was created in an extension. Another relic of the past is the old 'penny in the slot' on the door to the toilets on the left side. For the sympathetically renovation which retained most of the original fittings the pub received a CAMRA Pub Refurbishment Award.
Update 2013: The pub suffered a serious fire in February 2012 which mainly affected the upper floors. As part of the restoration a lot of the original woodwork has, sadly, been painted a pastel shade.
