Pub Heritage Wrestlers
Greater London North - Highgate
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed Status: Not listed
98 North RoadHighgate
N6 4AA
Tel: (020) 8340 4297
Email: manager@thewrestlershighgate.com
Website https://thewrestlershighgate.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewrestlershighgate
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Public Transport: Near Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
Built in 1921 on the site of an older pub, this contains some remarkable leaded glass that extends round two sides of the bar, enlivened by heraldic symbols and lit up from behind.
The glasswork contains a disused door which once presumably led into a publican’s office. Also of note is a large old fireplace on the right wall, still containing an ancient bread oven. This and some of the old panelling around it may have been salvaged from the earlier pub. A fireplace on the left-hand wall has been covered with fielded panelling. All the walls have three-quarter height wood panelling. The rear room may originally have been the landlord’s private quarters – having only been knocked through some time after the 1980s. This makes it difficult to explain the location of two leaded windows in the rear room that bear the inscriptions “Established 1547”, “Rebuilt 1921” and “Ye Olde Wres ers” (sic). Perhaps they were moved here from the front of the pub when clear glass was installed.
The pub is famous for ‘The Ancient Ceremony of Swearing on the Horns’ – the details are in a framed panel over the fireplace with the horns above it.
Rebuilt in 1921. Now one L-shaped room, it was originally split into three bars (or two bars and an off sales?) at the front with the rear area another room. It retains the original panelled bar counter with markings indicating where there were partitions. Behind the servery is a latticed leaded 1920s screen and what looks like a door therefore the two-sided bar back fittings with a row of brass handled drawers all along it was added later, possibly in the 1950s. A fireplace on the far left has been covered by fielded panelling (possibly re-used from missing partitions?).
On the right is a large old fireplace with bread oven, old black pot and old panelling around it which could have come from the original pub. The pub is famous for ‘The Ancient Ceremony of Swearing on the Horns’ – full details in a framed panel over the fireplace with the horns above it.
One of pub's exterior windows at the rear is glazed with 'Established 1547' and 'Rebuilt 1921' and another with 'Olde Wres era'. Panelled walls run all around the rear part of the pub but most are of a different style to the front panels and are believed to be from the 1950s - a former fireplace is now covered up by panelling. The doors to the toilets look to be from the 1950s.
