Bulls Head, Telford

According to an external metal plaque the pub was established in 1838, but its thrilling and colourful display of tiles and glazed bricks probably dates from about 1904. The ceramics are by Maw & Co. whose Jackfield tileworks, in the Ironbridge Gorge, was the largest in the world at the end of the 19th century. The frontage has bands of green and orange glazed brick on the upper floor. Below are highly unusual strips of mosaic dividing the windows and doors. In the front room the tiling extends from floor to ceiling in various designs and colours.

The floor too is tiled in patterns of brown, buff, blue and white. Some of the glazing is contemporary, including windows on the first floor and the door glass inscribed ‘Bar’. A change is that there used to be a corridor from the right-hand doorway to the rear. The counter (with unusual strips of low-relief carved decoration) and the bar-back are, no doubt, Edwardian as well. The rear and left hand parts took their present form in 1984.A nine-month closure followed in the early 21st century but it was then rescued and brought back to a vibrant life in March 2005.