London Pubs Group

Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

Duke's Head

6 Manor Road,
Wallington,
SM6 0AA.

Not only is this pub a grade II listed building, it is also one of London’s Real Heritage pubs (ie it is one CAMRA’s London regional Inventory of Pub Interiors of Special Historic Interest) and the description is as follows: “This busy Young’s house is in a mid-19th-century, white stuccoed building in the old village centre of Wallington. It overlooks an attractive green which is much used by pub customers in decent weather. The pub has expanded mightily in recent times, not least due to the grafting on of a hotel on the right-hand side. However, it does still have separate rooms and, if you mentally block out the large dining room at the rear, quite a lot of the atmosphere from a refitting in the 1930s. At that time there were four pub rooms, all of which are still clearly traceable. The most complete is the public bar, a plainly furnished room on the corner which has an original curved bar counter. The main area consists of three interlinked spaces. The front one, with the main entrance, has a delightful little snug leading of it, complete with panelling, marble fire surround, and a 1930s counter. Right of the entrance is a large panelled area where the most unusual feature is a 1930s clock with screwed-on numbers: the fixed seating is a modern and, frankly, ugly work. Behind the rear area is dark and dominated by heavy timbers which are tooled to create the olde worlde look that was so popular among pub-builders and pub-goers between the wars: it also has a brick fire surround with a Tudor arch. History in the area: Wallington was known for its fragrant herbs including lavender. It was also home to several local industries with the area between nearby Westcroft Road and Acre Lane having several mills for papermaking and textile bleaching. There were also several printing works.”

The listing description is as follows: “Mid C19 circa, irregular plan and irregular arrangement of fenestration; later C19 and later additions. Stuccoed cladding. Slate roofs. Part of south front of 2 storeys, 3 window bays. Sash windows with glazing bars in reveals in segmental headed openings on 1st floor. Lower extension with parapet towards east; recess on ground floor with C19 cast iron pump against east wall. East front to Manor Road of 2 storeys, 3 window bays. Slate gabled roof. Stuccoed long and short quoins. Above, sash windows 3 panes wide in reveals; painted architraves. Below, 1-storey extension at south end, doorway in middle and shallow rectangular bay window at right hand end. In North front, taller gabled bay at east end with sash window 3 panes wide above and 2 round-headed windows below. To west, 3-light sash above and hipped projection incorporating 3-light sash to left hand and gabled porch to right hand below; to west again, modern single sash above and 4-light modern sash below; at west end, 3 smaller sashes with horns both above and below. Included on account of group value in old village centre of Wallington. The Duke's Head Public House, Stable Block, Nos 8 to 20 (even) and Nos 32 to 40 (even) form a group.”

The Duke's Head featured on the Daytime Crawl of Southern Outer London in June 2005, and the Super Suburbia, a Wealth of Styles and Periods: Daytime Crawl of Cheam, Sutton, Carshalton and Wallington in October 2011.