Country House, Earlsfield (Fog)

This pub is a tucked-away street-corner local with a brown glazed brick exterior, built near Earlsfield station in Victorian times. It has long enjoyed a nickname of 'The Fog’ (from the days when London had fogs/smogs) bestowed by those who tarried here on the way home to their nearest and dearest and attributed their tardy return to being delayed by the fog. The pub was given a total refit about 1930 and still retains its three separate rooms, each of which bears striking brass plates with the name in question – public bar (on the corner), private bar, and – perhaps unique – meal room. The fittings are plain but elegant and there are exposed beams, typical of c. 1930, on the ceilings.

The public bar on the corner has a bare wood floor, and a 1930s panelled curved counter with a black and white trough around the base. The bar back fitting also dates from the 1930s with leaded mirrors, but fridge have replaced the lower shelves. There is a dado of fielded panelling around the room, a 1930s grey-painted brick fireplace, with a wood-surround and modern hearth, and some etched and frosted windows remain. Note the cupboards in the bar counter and the three surviving gaslight fittings.

A widish gap (sliding doors removed) leads to the small room (originally the meal room) on the right which has a bare wood floor with more fielded panelling on the dado. Service is via a small counter to the side of the servery, also with a black and white trough around the base, and a Tudor arch shaped window above the hatch opening which probably had a rising window in the past. It retains a blocked-up 1930s wood surround fireplace.

The lounge on the left (originally the private bar) is carpeted, with a 1930s panelled bar counter with original top as well as a 1930s four-bay Tudor arch shaped bar back fitting with leaded mirrors. There are two 1930s wood surround fireplaces but they have radiators in front of them. This room also has 1930s fielded panelling on the dado around two sides of the room, but a more plain modern dado on the front and left hand walls, and a dumb waiter.