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Heritage Pub

Viaduct Tavern, London

Operator: Fuller's
126 Newgate Street, Smithfield, London, EC1A 7AA (View on Google Map)
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Victorian pub which was a gin palace and a jail. It still has a gin booth and wall frescoes.

The pub sells a range of Gins. Became a Fuller's tied house but ex-Ind Coope & Nicholsons. You can visit the Newgate Prison cellar by arrangement with Pub Walks (see Time Out for details).

Historic Interest

Grade II listing:- Public House. 1874-5; interior remodelled 1898-1900 by Arthur Dixon. Granite to ground floor; upper floor of gault brick with painted stone dressings; slate mansard roof; brick end stacks with moulded stone cornices. Curved corner site. Italianate style. 4-storeys; 6-window range with additional bay to ground floor. Ground floor articulated by grey and red granite piers with festooned Ionic capitals to red granite frieze with moulded grey cornices: three doorways with half-glazed double door set in recessed lobbies with bracketed semicircular arched arches to outer bays, all having relief carving in Flemish Renaissance style with Medallion portraits to spandrels of outer arches; 3-light plate-glass windows with similar relief craving to mullions and transoms. Plate-glass sashes to upper-floor windows set in raised architraves: relief-carved friezes and bracketed cornices to first-floor windows pedimental second-floor windows, and relief-carved frieze over third-floor windows divided by pilasters with foliate capitals; dentilled cornice; moulded cornices to dormer windows. Interior: good ground-floor bar interior, quadrant-shaped, with many original fittings, including cut and etched glass panels to fine Jacobethan-style counter and semicircular arched hood set in front of rear doorway with relief-carved panels; arcaded panelling to bar. Marbled wood piers to enriched plaster frieze with cherub heads, shell-coved cornice and strapwork ceiling. Wall to right has tall mirrors alternating with three fine paintings of Pre-Raphaelite style women by Hal, 1898-1900, all set in cream, green and orange marble and alabaster architraves. Included for its fine pub interior, particularly the exceptional paintings.

Information for this venue is provided by the East London & City Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
City of London
Last updated
24/02/2024
Last surveyed
28/12/2023
Pub ID
ELC/14630
Asset of Community Value

Three star - A pub interior of outstanding national historic importance

Listed status: II

The viaduct Tavern contains an amazing amount of Victorian woodwork and glazing, as well as three magnificent paintings of ladies set in an arcade with extensive marble work.

This popular Fuller’s pub sweeps majestically round the corner of Newgate Street and Giltspur Street. It was built in 1874 but the wonderful fittings we see today are due to a remodelling by Arthur Dixon in 1898-1900 at the height of the late Victorian pub building boom. The separate drinking areas (as indicated by the multiple outside doors) have gone but there is an amazing amount of excellent decoration. The etched, gilded and cut glass panels at the rear are truly spectacular and are the equal of the work at the Princess Louise, Holborn, WC1. Another highlight is the small, glazed-in office in the rear of the serving area that was used for conducting the administration of the pub. It has fine etched glass and delicate woodwork.

Delicate is also the word to describe the small stillion in the middle of the servery with its arched woodwork and ornamented glass. The ceiling too (which probably dates from the original build in 1874), with its swirling relief panels, is also a fine sight. There are also three paintings of languid ladies, signed ‘Hal’, on the right-hand wall, who, apparently, represent agriculture, commerce, industry and art. Don’t miss the bar counter itself which has unusual, bold, arched decoration. A final curiosity is the heavily carved, sliding door at the rear to the private quarters above.

Visit at a quiet time (avoid lunchtimes and after 6) and you can ask for a trip down to the cellars which were supposedly the cells of the gaol of the original debtors prison - there are five cells of which three can be inspected.

General information about historic pub interiors

This popular Fuller’s pub sweeps majestically round the corner of Newgate Street and Giltspur Street. It was built in 1874 but the wonderful fittings we see today are due to a remodelling by Arthur Dixon in 1898-1900 at the height of the fin de siècle pub building boom. The separate drinking areas (as indicated by the multiple outside doors) have gone but there is an amazing amount of excellent decoration. The etched, gilded and cut glass panels at the rear are truly spectacular and are the equal of the work at the Princess Louise, Holborn WC1.

Another highlight is the small, glazed-in office in the rear of the serving area that was used for conducting the administration of the pub. It has fine etched glass and delicate woodwork.

Delicate is also the word to describe the small stillion in the middle of the servery with its arched woodwork and ornamented glass. The ceiling too (which probably dates from the original build in 1874), with its swirling relief panels, is a also a fine sight. Less attractive are the three paintings of languid ladies, signed ‘Hal’, on the right-hand wall, who, apparently, represent agriculture, commerce, industry and art. They are set in an arcade with extensive marble work. Don’t miss the bar counter itself which has unusual, bold, arched decoration. A final curiosity is the heavily carved, sliding door at the rear to the private quarters above.

Visit at a quiet time (avoid lunchtimes and after 6) and you can ask for a trip down to the cellars which were supposedly the cells of the Gaol of the original Debtors Prison - there are 5 cells of which three can be inspected.

General information about historic pub interiors
Seen some incorrect or missing details? let us know.
Opening
Food
Monday
Noon - 11:00pm
Noon - 9:30pm
Tuesday
Noon - 11:00pm
Noon - 9:30pm
Wednesday
Noon - 11:00pm
Noon - 9:30pm
Thursday
Noon - 11:00pm
Noon - 9:30pm
Friday
Noon - 11:00pm
Noon - 9:30pm
Saturday
Noon - 8:00pm
Noon - 7:00pm
Sunday
Closed
No Service
Spotted an error with the opening times? Let us know

Current beers

This Pub serves 1 changing beer and 3 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

Viaduct Tavern, London

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Changing

Changing beers typically include: Green Duck - Duck the Halls , St Austell - Tribute

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Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Smoking Smoking
Wi Fi Wi Fi
O2
Features
Real Ale Real Ale
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Transport
Close to bus routes
Nearby Station (150m)
City Thameslink
Close to London Underground/Overground/DLR (350m)
St Pauls'
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