Building record 325/0/12 - Marston Inn

A former public house, which was originally constructed as two attached dwellings. They are depicted on a map of 1760. They were converted into a pub in the early 20th century.

{1} Historic England has received an application to assess the former Marston Inn public house for listing. On balance, though the former public house is of clear local interest as a pair of mid-C18 dwellings, it does not possess the requisite interest for statutory listing.

HISTORY AND DETAILS: The former public house was originally constructed as two attached dwellings, and these buildings are depicted on an enclosure map of 1760. The map also appears to show an attached outshut to the rear of the cottages. By the first edition Ordnance Survey map of 1885 the cottages are shown with an unchanged footprint though a detached outbuilding has been erected to the rear (west). By the Ordnance Survey map of 1922 the buildings are labelled as Marston Inn indicating that the cottages were converted into a public house in the early-C20. As part of the conversion into a public house an opening was created between the buildings at both ground and first floor, to the rear of the central chimney stack. In the late-C20 a single-storey rear lean-to extension was erected to provide an additional kitchen, to the north of the earlier outshut. At this time the roof structure of the building was also replaced and the outbuilding to the west was partly demolished.

The former Marston Inn is a symmetrical pair of former cottages, each of roughly two bays and retaining their separate entrance doors. The building is linear on plan and runs roughly north to south. The building is constructed of random rubble iron stone with a slate gable roof. Each former dwelling has two window openings at ground floor and two at first floor; the windows are a mixture of timber and crittal casements and are of a variety of dates, all with timber lintels above. There is a central brick chimney stack with the entrance door openings located just off-centre, towards the direction of the central stack. To the rear are a series of single-storey lean-to ranges of various dates, constructed in brick.

The interior of the building has been adapted as part of the conversion into a public house, though the plan-form of the two cottages is still largely legible, although with later partitions inserted. The southern cottage has had its stair removed in order to accommodate a bar on the ground floor. We understand that original fireplace fittings have been removed.

To the rear of the public house is the remainder of the C19 outbuilding which is also constructed of random rubble with timber casement and door and is now partly dilapidated.

<1> English Heritage, Designation Advice Report, Former Marston Inn, Marston St Lawrence (Report). SNN113190.

Record last edited

Feb 25 2025 7:16PM