In 1857 Thomas Wills erected a large building intended as licenced premises which he named the Royal Arms with a brewery at the rear, in what became known as Chester Place. The alley to the brewery down the side of the pub has survived. The pub and brewery were bought by George Tribe in 1862 and he obtained a licence to sell spirits there in 1863. Together with other premises, six tied pubs, the Royal Arms was bought by Portsmouth brewers John and Arthur Brickwood (Brickwood and Co.) after the death of George Tribe in 1885. They did not require the brewery so it was demolished and a terrace of six cottages was built on the site. *
The Royal Ams Public House in Stoke Road Gosport has a beautiful glass and cast iron canopy extending from the front out over the pavement. This was added by the Brewer/owner Brickwood & Co. in 1910 when the Council wanted to widen Stoke Road and after negotiations it was decided to set back the ground floor of the pub and add a tiled frontage with the cast iron and glass verandah, or canopy to the edge of the pavement. A large girder that runs along the front of the building supporting the canopy bears the maker’s name ‘Tredgold’ a well know iron monger of Bishop Street Portsmouth.
On 20th April 1983 English Heritage (now Historic England) listed the Royal Arms public house as Grade II with the following description:
Late C19. Two-storeys, 3 windows. Upper floor in painted brickwork, sash windows. Main feature is a ground floor cast iron portico, projecting over the pavement across the whole of the frontage, 1.2.2.1 thin columns, glazed roof and frieze.
Listing NGR: SZ6131799760
The previous owner of the public house took out the section of painted glass that bore the name of the brewer, Brickwood and Co. and replaced it with a new section promoting their business name. This was not permitted under the rules for Listed Buildings and they were told to put back the original. Sadly they appeared to have lost the original and so they put back a newly fabricated section. However they were not correctly advised by a local ‘beer enthusiast’ who told them that the original was ‘Brickwoods’ when historic evidence shows that it was ‘Brickwood’. ‘Brickwood and Co.’ did not change their name to ‘Brickwoods Ltd’ until 1953, long after the canopy had been added.
The painted glass should read ‘Brickwood and Co’s Brilliant Ales Superior Wines and Spirits‘ with the name ‘Royal Arms’ on each end section.
The Royal Arms traded as a pub until 1991 after which it lay empty for three years. It was bought by Chapmans, a Sussex based pub chain, who reopened it. As part of the refurbishment they altered the painted glass by adding in their name in the place of Brickwood and co. They were told to put it back to the orignal but had lost the section they had removed, hence the error.
The glass was remade by Iain Potter of James Clarke and Eaton (Hants) Ltd. Kings Road Gosport. He was a Master Glass Painter and points out that the canopy was not ‘Stained Glass’ but old patterned tinted glass.
The pub remained in business for another 14 years. It closed for good in 2008.
In 2010 an application for the conversion of this listed building into two flats on the first floor, and a retail shop on the ground floor, was granted permission by Gosport Borough Council. The application confirmed that the exterior of the building, including the canopy, was to be restored and some interior historic features were to be retained. Sadly this did not happen and many Gosport residents have expressed their concern that bits of the canopy were in a dangerous state of decay with glass sections buckling and glass falling out on a regular basis. Part of the building is now used as a care home for adults with learning difficulties. Gosport Council Conservation Officer has constantly reminded the owners of their responsibility in maintaining the canopy as part of a Listed Building but they failed to respond.
The Historic England regulations for Listed Building states: Listing is not a preservation order, preventing change. It does not freeze a building in time, it simply means that listed building consent must be applied for in order to make any changes to that building which might affect its special interest.
Canopy to be restored:
In 2020 Gosport Borough Council announced that the canopy would be restored as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone. The front of the building will be used for community events. Funding for the High Street scheme is expected to be £1.78 million over four years, starting in April as part of a wider £3.2 million programme.
In August 2022 scaffolding was erected around the canopy at the front of the building and the painted glass panels were taken away so that they could be restored. Funding comes from Historic England as part of Gosport’s high street heritage action zone scheme. A spokesperson for Historic England, Emily Gee, regional director, said:
The former Royal Arms Hotel is a special piece of Gosport’s history and architectural heritage, with such a distinctive cast iron portico. It is so important to preserve characterful and significant buildings to ensure that can be enjoyed by generations to come, and we look forward to seeing the façade of the Royal Arms repaired and restored.
The tiled frontage will also be restored. The ground floor will be transformed into a cafe.
The original lettering for ‘Brickwood’ will not be restored in place of the wrongly placed ‘Brickwoods’. According to the architect, unfortunately the budget was very tight and they only have sufficient funding to repair the existing panel.
Useful sources:
*Brewers and Breweries in Gosport. Philip Eley.
Links:
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101234486-the-royal-arms-public-house-gosport
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/what-is-designation/listed-buildings/#WhatCanIDo
Original page created by David Moore.