Building record MDO47419 - The Cricketers, Windham Road, Bournemouth

The Cricketers public house. Built as a hotel probably after 1860. Converted into a public house in first decade of the 20th century. Good example of mid-19th century urban pub. Fairly plain, though it has some Art Nouveau features dating from its refurbishment, such as the decorative stained glass in the partitions.

SZ1029592075. The Cricketers public house. Style of building suggests that it was probably built after about 1860, though it is said to date from c.1847. It was originally a hotel, and was sited near to a cricket pitch that existed until the late 19th century. The building appears to have been completely refurbished and converted into a public house in the first decade of the 20th century. At about this time a function room was added which, at that time, could not be accessed through the pub but had its own separate entrance. At some stage during the early or mid-20th century this room was said to have been used as a boxing gym and the 1948-1950 world light heavy weight boxer Freddie Mills was said to train here. The pub is indicated in its present form on the 1924 Ordnance Survey map.

It is a good example of a mid-19th century urban pub. The two storey building is of brick with wooden casement windows to the ground floor elevations and mainly wooden sash windows to the first floor. Map evidence indicates that the pub was re-fronted at the beginning of the 20th century; the projecting entrance bay was built and the south elevation was extended at ground level. To the west elevation, facing the car park is a secondary bar entrance and an entrance to the former off sales. At the north west corner of the pub is a single storey range. It is built in the Domestic Revival style with a clerestory and an entrance with a tiled, timber porch. This range was originally a separate function room that could not be accessed through the pub, but has since been incorporated into the pub itself.

Many of the internal fittings within with the public areas date from the substantial refitting the Cricketers underwent in the first decade of the 20th century. It retains its bar counters, and of note are the partitions with decorative stained glass in an Art Nouveau style that divide the two bars and also screen the private accommodation, the fireplace in the formal function room, and the gents¿ urinals. There are also cornices; some indicating the former subdivision of the internal spaces, reflecting how the large pub would have worked socially. There are also clearly modern additions, doors, vestibules, and blocked fireplaces. At first floor, there are some surviving cornices and several original fireplaces.

To the rear is an outbuilding which was formerly used for stabling. It is built of brick and the front elevation consists of a double door cart opening to the left, and a doorway with window openings either side. Above is a taking-in door to the hayloft. The building survives intact and internally retains its floor plan and includes a small tack room with a fireplace and stabling, although the stall partition has gone. (1)

<1> English Heritage, English Heritage Listing File, Gill Guthrie, 09-MAR-2006 (Scheduling record). SDO17502.

<2> National Record of the Historic Environment, 1442923 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Nov 27 2023 10:11AM