London Pubs Group

Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

Rocket

120 Euston Road
Euston
NW1 2AL

This pub is not only a grade II listed building, it is also a One Star pub on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) National Inventory with an interior of special national historic interest, and the description is as follows: “Rebuilt 1899 by Shoebridge & Rising for Cannon Brewery of red brick with stone bands. This three-storey main building has a single storey extension at Euston Road, a granite frontage and at the top a carved plaque of the sun rising over the sea and inscribed "Rebuilt 1899". It is mainly opened-up apart from the rear right partitioned area but retains a significant number of original fittings. Originally separated by a full height screen but only the top section remains is the saloon bar at the rear right (and on a slightly lower level). This area retains its original curved bar counter and a wonderful six bay (and dumb waiter) bar back fitting, the first bay being an access for staff and the others having lovely frosted and decorated mirrors and there is a row of bevelled mirrors reaching to the ceiling. Sadly, most of the lower shelving has been lost to fridges. There is a splendid plasterwork ceiling with parts picked out in deep red, a vestibule entrance on the ceiling above which are two rising sun symbols, and the original Victorian fireplace with carved wooden tigers (?) heads at the top left and right and red glazed brick interior. The front right area has a fine vestibule entrance reaching to the ceiling with a mosaic floor and retaining some Victorian glazed panels. The bar counter here is another original one, albeit of a different style to the rear one, an original bar back fitting with intact lower shelving and above a semi-circular protruding manager’s office (now housing the glass washer) with frosted and etched panels. The bar counter continues into the front left area where it is a small three-sided one, dado panelling on the left looks modern as is the vestibule entrance.”

The listing description is as follows: “Public house. 1899. By Shoebridge & Rising. For Cannon Brewery. Red brick with stone bands and dressings and steeply pitched slate roofs. Main building, 3 storeys and attic, 1 window, corner turret and 2 window return to Charlton Road; set back from Euston Road with single storey extension of 1 bay, splayed corner and 4 bay return filling forecourt. Granite public house frontage with pilasters with enriched capitals and banded shafts supporting fascia with projecting cornice and blocking course. 3 round arched entrances (1 on corner & 2 on return); windows with large round-arched light and small panes in spandrels. Main building with square-headed 2-light sashes flanked by pilasters and with enriched aprons. Egg and dart main cornice at 3rd floor level. Attic storey in large Flemish gables; west gable with windows in round-arched recesses and segmental topped enrichment; south gable with carved plaque of the sun rising over the sea and inscribed "Rebuilt 1899". Corner turret with enriched panels and ornamented lead dome with finial. INTERIOR: retains original office and bar screen.”

The WhatPub entry is here: WhatPub/Rocket

The Pub Heritage Group link is here: PHG/Rocket

The Rocket featured on the A St Pancras Pilgrimage - Evening Crawl of Camden and Euston on 9 December 2015.