Warwick Castle, Maida Vale

The end of a terrace of 19th century three-storey brick houses and shops. Outside, don’t miss the stunningly prominent iron lamp bracket – it’s a good example of a feature often employed at Victorian pubs to advertise their presence. Street lighting was usually poor or non-existent and pub lamps acted like a beacon for prospective customers. The windows to the main bar have both strikingly large etched panes and some small stained glass panelled details. Despite some modernisation, this pleasant and relaxed pub, tucked away in a quiet side street, still has a good many Victorian features.

Double entrance doors on the right lead into a vestibule with colourful stained glass panels and a colourful Victorian tiled floor. There were two doors from the vestibule (one no longer in use) indicating the present bare wooden floored public bar was original two rooms. The walls are largely covered in matchboard panelling above which is a delicate frieze. In recent years the attractiveness of this room has been enhanced by the removal of a clumsy modern structure placed on top of the bar counter – good news.

Inside, the bar counter is quite an unusual affair with recessed panels, bold ornate brackets and a prominently projecting top tier, with a heating rail around the base. The bar-back, however, is modern but in keeping with its bevelled & etched mirrors and ornate brackets. The fireplace has what looks like an inter-war wood surround with a brick interior and there is a good ‘Bass & Co’s Ale’ mirror. At the rear of the room are two doorways to a small area which has probably been brought into use in relatively modern times.

The very wide middle door leads to a lobby embellished with Colourful Victorian tiled flooring and ahead of it is a door with ‘Private’ and three good decorative etched and frosted panels. A doorway from the lobby leads to the smoke room on the left; the left hand exterior doors with colourful stained glass panels are no longer in use. This small wood floored room has a grey and opal-coloured marble fireplace with unusual detailing, old dado panelling and a ‘Bass & Co’s Pale & Burton Ales’ mirror over the fireplace.