Shoulder of Mutton, Holcombe
| Shoulder of Mutton | |
|---|---|
The pub in 2007 | |
Location within Greater Manchester | |
General information | |
| Type | Public house |
| Location | Holcombe Village, Holcombe, Greater Manchester, England |
| Coordinates | 53°38′45″N 2°19′53″W / 53.6458°N 2.3314°W |
| Year built | Late 18th century |
| Renovated | 2023 |
| Design and construction | |
| Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Shoulder of Mutton public house |
| Designated | 29 January 1985 |
| Reference no. | 1318119 |
| Website | |
| somholcombe | |
The Shoulder of Mutton is a Grade II listed public house on Holcombe Village[a] in Holcombe, a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. Built in the late 18th century on the site of an earlier inn, it was damaged during an airship raid in 1916. The pub remains a longstanding village landmark, reopening in 2023 after a brief closure.
History
The building was constructed in the late 18th century and was likely a rebuilding or substantial alteration of an earlier inn, according to its official listing.[1] A datestone marked "1751" suggests that the structure may have been built or rebuilt at that time.[3]
The public house was historically associated with cockfighting,[3] though there is no known evidence that the practice continued there after it was prohibited in 1835.
The 1910 Ordnance Survey map marks the building as the Shoulder of Mutton public house.[4]
During the evening of 25 September 1916, Holcombe was hit during one of the early aerial raids of the First World War. The airship L21 dropped five bombs on the village while heading towards Bolton. The post office and village school were damaged, as was the pub, where residents took shelter in the cellar.[5][6]
On 29 January 1985, the Shoulder of Mutton was designated a Grade II listed building.[1]
The pub closed in 2022 and underwent unspecified works from May 2023, reopening in June 2023.[7]
Architecture
The building is constructed of dressed stone and has a symmetrical front. It has three storeys with three sash windows; the top-floor windows are casements but were likely sashes originally.[8] The entrance contains a four‑panel door with a concealed fanlight and a small pediment supported by pilasters. The corners are marked with stone blocks. The roof has two pitches, finished in slate, with a parapet between the gable-end chimneys.[1] Numbers 1 and 3 Alba Street, also Grade II listed, adjoin the pub on the right.[9]
The interior includes original Crown Brewery tiling in the porch.[10]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d Historic England. "Shoulder of Mutton public house (Grade II) (1067276)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ "USRN: 5101068 | Holcombe Village, Ramsbottom". FindMyStreet. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ^ a b Holcombe Conservation Area Ramsbottom, Bury | Conservation Area Appraisal (PDF). Bury Council (Report). Kathryn Sather and Associates. May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841–1952 | Lancashire LXXIX.12". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. 1910. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ Smith 1991, pp. 11–15
- ^ "Air Raid on Holcombe". South Pennine Archaeology Group. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ Heywood, Harriet (10 June 2023). "Shoulder of Mutton Pub to re-open in Holcombe Village". Bury Times. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ "Shoulder of Mutton Public House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ Historic England. "Nos. 1 and 3, Alba Street (Grade II) (1356788)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- ^ "Shoulder of Mutton, Holcombe". Campaign for Real Ale. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
Bibliography
- Smith, Peter J. C. (1991), Zeppelins over Lancashire, Neil Richardson, ISBN 1-85216-066-7