Thursday 7 January 2016

Discovering a little bit more about that Victorian Hotel on High Street

Now here is a bit of a story I hadn’t planned on but which has taken me back to the old Victorian Hotel on High Street opposite the Arndale.*

It was once known as the Wheatsheaf became the Hogshead and is now the English Lounge.

I have yet to track its full history but there was a pub carrying the name of the Wheatsheaf on this site in 1844 although the present building may date from the 1880s.

Sadly according to Michael Farrand who worked there for five years from 1995 none of the original interior has survived but I was intrigued by a door in the manager’s “kitchen which led to the old Hotel.  This was later renovated and is now part of the pub.

It was interesting but sadly not really any original features left, although through the door there were two large rooms (which are now the upstairs restaurant) and there was a hole in the ceiling which you needed step ladders to get up to as there was no staircase.

But up there was a lovely Victorian staircase which led to I think about eight to ten small bedrooms.

And a little more. whilst I was the manager there I remember looking into the History of the pub. And If I remember righty in I think 1882 /83 part of the building collapsed and a barmaid who was asleep in one of the bedrooms. had to be rescued ? Sorry can't remember the full story

Now that is a bit of the Wheatsheaf I reckon few today know about and I am betting there may be more.

Thanks to Michael Farrand who supplied the information and to Neil Simpson who alerted me to the connection.

Painting; The English Lounge, High Street, © 2015 Peter Topping,
Web: www.paintingsfrompictures.co.uk
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*A pub by another name .............. the English Lounge on High Street, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/a-pub-by-another-name-english-lounge-on.html

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