Historic English pubs: enjoy them and protect them

England's pub heritage has been badly neglected. Apart from a few lone voices such as Sir John Betjeman, the fate of our most historic and noteworthy pubs had been left to those who saw no profit in their preservation. Of the tens of thousands of public houses in England only a tiny percentage have retained anything like their original form. More have held on to some of their original features but these continue to be removed in the relentless drive to modernise and refurbish.

Thankfully many of those that have survived now have 'listed' status which offers at least some protection. Some are owned by enlightened pub companies such as Nicholsons, or brewers such as Samuel Smith of Tadcaster, Yorkshire, who have not only preserved their pubs but have acquired pubs of outstanding historic importance and restored them.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) have for many years been compiling an inventory of historic pub interiors and have campaigned for their preservation. Both English Heritage and The National Trust have been instrumental in highlighting the plight of pubs; English Heritage are responsible for the listing of historic buildings and the National Trust have a handful under their stewardship.

Find below our listings for some of England's historic pubs

LONDON'S HISTORIC PUBS

LEEDS HISTORIC PUBS

LIVERPOOL'S HISTORIC PUBS

BIRMINGHAM HISTORIC PUBS

GLOUCESTER - THE NEW INN

CAMBRIDGE - THE EAGLE

THEN & NOW - PHOTOGRAPHS