Tyne and Wear HER(7610): Felling, St. John's Place, Green Mandolin Public House - Details
7610
Gateshead
Felling, St. John's Place, Green Mandolin Public House
Felling
NZ26SE
Commercial
Licensed Premises
Public House
Early Modern
C19
Extant Building
This Arts and Crafts influenced 2-storey public house was originally the Royal Turf Hotel (lettering can still be seen advertising this in the fanlight over the door, despite being painted over). Constructed primarily in painted brick, it has stone dressings accompanied by timber detailing. The distinctive red clay tiled roof has a tilting fillet at the eaves, and incorporates a brick chimney disguised in a shaped gable, as well as corniced chimneys and half-timbered gables. A whimsical terracotta finial adorns one hip, although the other has been lost. The fenestration is profuse and varied, including a dormer and a large hexagonal oriel window on a stepped plinth to the north west corner. To the north elevation a large Venetian window fills the ground floor, with an arched window to the side elevation. Multipane casements feature to the 1st floor, of which several are painted over. The dormer has similar lights under a pitched roof. All windows are of timber and many are original, though one has lost glazing bars. Even the rear of the building retains its timber sashes in an informal arrangement. The whole building is painted green and cream. The orielled corner is chamfered to accommodate the doorway, which has an arched head and tall keystone over a double leaf 6 panelled door. The original rainwater goods with decorative brackets creep down the walls through the cornicing below the 1st floor windows. Unfortunately roller shutters have been introduced, one window is boarded and there is a large vent in the roof, as well as floodlights and an indiscreet alarm box. The bracket for a hanging sign remains, which it would be positive to take advantage of in the future. It is an attractive and striking building in the tradition of quirky, good quality public house architecture in the Felling area. Making the most of a topographically interesting site, the oriel would have had a wonderful view when built, but it is also overlooked by the rose window of St Patrick’s Church, creating a curious interaction between sacred and profane. The rebuilding dates from a time when a large proportion of the alehouse stock of the borough was undergoing similar treatment, when landlords were endeavouring to elevate the quality of the internal environment and the reputation of their establishments, as they sought to attract a respectable clientele. MATERIALS Brick, stone, timber, slate ARCHITECT Benjamin Simpson BUILDER: John Hope DATES 1898 (rebuilt) LOCAL LIST
2773
6199
NZ27736199
Gateshead Council Local List X20/LL/245; Tyne & Wear Archives T353/1/1; Lynn Pearson, The Northumbrian Pub: An Architectural History (1989); Gateshead Post 28/10/1949