Birmingham’s Craven Arms Pub Listed at Grade II

The Craven Arms, on the corner of Upper Gough Street and Blucher Street, with its striking tiled exterior has been recognised as a building of exceptional national interest.

Designed between 1906-1910 and attributed to local architect Arthur Edwards, the ground floor of the building is faced with moulded and glazed ceramic tiles while the upper floors are of red brick. The windows are timber framed. Edwards is also thought to have been responsible for the building occupied by O’Neill’s on Broad Street.

History

A pub has existed on the corner of Upper Gough Street and Blucher Street near Holloway Head since at least the 1840s when the first licensee of the Craven Arms was recorded.

As industrial areas developed on the rural fringes of Birmingham in the early 19th century, the construction of new factories and workers’ houses led to the establishment of public houses, that served the local working communities.

By the 1970s most of the workers’ houses surrounding the Craven Arms had been demolished. The two adjoining properties on Blucher Street, including the ground floor shop survived until at least 1971, after which time they were also demolished.

Listing

Listing – being added to the National Heritage List for England - provides certain protections for the building and means that listed building consent must be applied for to make any changes to that building which might affect its special interest.