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Bristol Historic Pub Walk
Discover 6 historic pubs in the centre of Bristol, a city in south-west England rich with maritime history and a vibrant cultural scene.
Historic England is not endorsing these venues but merely providing information on the building and its architecture, which the reader (and drinker) might find interesting.
Barclays Bank
Our first stop is the former Barclays Bank at 40 and 42 Corn Street, which is Grade II listed.
Corn Street was a centre of trade from the 13th century, and at the heart of Bristol’s banking business from the 18th century. The historic buildings remain but have generally been repurposed for leisure uses.
Today, 40 and 42 Corn Street is an Australian-themed bar.
49 and 50 Broad Street
Around the corner is 49 and 50 Broad Street, a Grade II listed building from around 1770.
Its eye-catching ground floor, with granite and limestone dressings, lateral stacks, and a double Roman mansard roof, is thought to have been designed by local architects Foster & Wood around 1854.
Shakespeare Inn
It is in fair Bristol, on Victoria Street, where we lay our next scene...
Originally a timber framed house built in 1636, the Grade II listed public house at 78 Victoria Street (now 'Ye Shakespeare') is one of Bristol's oldest pubs. It was extensively restored in 1950, and its roof was replaced in 1992.
The Seven Stars
The Grade II listed Seven Stars public house played an important role in the Abolitionist Movement in the late 18th century.
It was here that Thomas Clarkson, one of the founders of the Society for Effecting the Abolition of the Slave Trade, gathered evidence with the help of the then-landlord about the terrible conditions onboard slave ships. A couple of interesting plaques on the building exterior commemorate this history.
59, 61 and 63 Baldwin Street
This Grade II listed building (currently The Old Fish Market) is a historic establishment known for its connection to the city's maritime past.
The wide range, red brickwork and symmetrical 10-window section combine to provide its grand look. It also features first floor windows set within 3 elliptical arches covering 2 storeys.
The Market House Tavern
Our final stop is 13 St Nicholas Street, which is Grade II listed and sits at the top of the Market Steps when travelling on foot from Baldwin Street.
Originally an attached house, this now public house was built in around 1790 in the late-Georgian style of Thomas Paty. While the interior was largely remodelled in the late 20th century, the exterior retains the corner entrance with its 19th-century timber public house front.
