Eagle Vaults Public House

Details

WORCESTER

SO8554NW FRIAR STREET
620-1/17/278 (West side)
22/05/54 No.2
Eagle Vaults Public
House

GV II

House, now inn. Probably c1740s for Mr Charles Collins,
possibly with earlier origins and with later additions and
alterations including c1890-1900 ground-floor pub frontage.
Reddish-brown brick in Flemish bond with red brick dressings,
ground floor has glazed tile frontage; plain tile hipped roof
and rear brick stacks with oversailing course; timber-framed
roof dormers with stucco infill. Single depth plan.
Ground-floor in Mannerist style. 2 storeys with attics, 7
first-floor windows. First-floor has renewed casement windows
under cambered arch of alternately tall and short bricks.
Crowning 3-course eaves band and modillion cornice. Attic roof
dormers have hipped roofs and casement windows. Ground-floor:
tall plinth surmounted by banded pilasters to either side of
entrances and windows; voussoirs around windows, continuous
frieze with raised lettering: 'WINES MITCHELLS & BUTLERS
SPIRITS GOLD MEDAL ALES AND STOUTS', cornice surmounted by
swan neck pediments with swags and ball finials over all
entrances except that to angle. Entrances to centre, to left
and to right angle: panelled and part-glazed doors with etched
glass, timber doorcases have billet friezes and cambered
overlights in hollow-moulded surrounds; entrance at left a
6-panel double door; entrance at right to canted angle under
scrolled hood. 4 round-arched windows have lower rectangular
panel of etched glass, dentil moulding to architrave and 3
stepped, rounded upper lights.
Right return has similar end entrance and further, similar
window; frieze continues to right return has raised lettering,
'EAGLE VAULTS SPIRITS', crowning cornice and similar swan neck
pediment to entrance.
INTERIOR: retains original pub features including glazed tiles
with neo-classical motif to central entrance. Formerly 2 rooms
with central hall, that ground floor is now one continuous
room. Bar to right part has neo-classical details, cornices.
HISTORICAL NOTE: although stylistically the house appears to
date from the late C17, Hughes and Molyneux suggest that
documentary evidence indicates a date in the 1740s when
Charles Collins rebuilt on the site of an earlier property. In
1764, John Young bought the property, converting it into a pub
known as Young's Mug House in 1779. From 1814-17 it was known
as the Volunteer, and then the Plummer's Arms. It has been
known as the FRIAR STREET Vaults since 1859, with a period of
closure c1982. There were four entrances on the Friar Street
frontage before the existing tiled facade was added.
Friar Street originated as a rear access lane or buildings in
High Street until the foundation of the Franciscan Friary in
1235. The first Friary buildings occupied the stretch between
Nos 11-25. The south end of the street was developed first,
with plots dating from the mid C14, plots at the north end
date from the early C15. Many of the existing houses date from
the Reformation, the Friary having been suppressed in 1539 and
its property sold by the Crown to the Corporation of Worcester
which demolished much for building materials. Building
continued from c1540 onwards, modifications were made to
houses during the C17, whilst the C18 saw the replacement of
several older buildings. The street was inhabited mainly by
tradesmen: weavers, clothiers, brewers and innkeepers. A
particularly fine example of a late C19 pub facade. Occupies
an important corner site.
(Hughes P and Molyneux N: Friar Street: 1984-: 36).

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

488786

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Hughes, P, Molyneux, N, Friar Street, (1984), 36

End of official list entry

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