National Tavern

Attached two-bay two-storey public house, built c.1920 with half-dormer attic and rendered shopfront to front (north) elevation. Pitched slate roof with clay crested ridge tiles, smooth-rendered corbelled chimneystacks and profiled metal gutters to projecting eaves. Flat-roofed dormer windows with slate hanging to sides. Smooth rendered walls with raised render lettering to west elevation reading ‘J. MURPHY & COS., FAMOUS STOUT & PORTER.’ Raised render panel to ground floor, west elevation. Square-headed window openings with render sills and one-over-one timber sliding sash windows, Two-over-two sliding sashes to half-dormer. Round-headed window openings to west elevation. Shopfront with channelled render pilasters surmounted by recent timber fascia board with moulded timber console bracket to north, smooth rendered stallrisers, square-headed display windows with replacement glass and square-headed door openings with replacement timber doors under plain glazed overlights. Square-headed door opening to east with replacement timber door and overlight gives access to living accommodation above. Street-fronted.

Tall and solid with few embellishments, the roadside siting of this public house makes it an eye-catching addition to the streetscape, as the flanking buildings are set back from the streetline and have front gardens with plinth walls and railings. The variety of window openings, both round-headed and square, and fine timber sliding sash windows add much to its character and charm. The raised lettering advertising the iconic local stout and porter contributes to its interest.