London Pubs Group

Campaign for Real Ale

Campaign for Real Ale

Royal Albert

460 New Cross Road
New Cross
SE14 6TJ

This pub is not only a grade II listed building, it is also on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Local Inventory as having an interior of Local Historic Interest, and the description is as follows: "C.1848 rendered building of three storeys with a huge, framed name panel at the top, and single storey at the rear. On the far left is an exterior porch with colourful Victorian tiled floor and on the left hand side is floor to ceiling late Victorian tiling with the dado treated differently to the top part which has a tiled panel of floral designs. The double doors (not currently in use) have ‘Public Bar’ in deep cut glass panels. The ground floor is of wood and across the centre of the exterior windows are unusual narrow glazed panels, some curved around a bay window; however, some glazing is replacement for the c.1900 originals. On the Florence Street side on the dado are two colourful tiled panels. The corner doors have ‘Saloon Bar’ etched glass panels. Five exterior doors are evidence of the former multi-room layout.

The present single L-shaped interior retains a good bar back fitting of four bays with a wooden carved frieze along the top and three mirrored panels in each bay with deep cut glass patterns. The columns holding up the shelves are of three styles – fairly plain at the bottom, barley twist in the middle and ornate with Corinthian capital at the top. Lower shelving has been lost to fridges. The bar counter is likely to be, at least partly, original but it has modern front panels. The interior is opened-up at the rear where there is an open kitchen and on the left a wood surround and tiled fireplace. Above is a modern skylight which may indicate this once housed a billiard room?"

The listing description is as follows: “Mid C19 building of 3 storeys, 3 windows. Stucco with rusticated quoins. Entablature with modillion cornice and parapet raised in centre for name panel. Shouldered moulded architraves with keystones to 2nd floor sash windows. Incised tympana within round architraves to 1st floor sash windows. Composite pilasters divide rounded ground floor bays of engraved glass with iron top grilles and panelled stallrisers. At left set back double door with engraved glass, and low window to right of it, all framed in bulbous granite pilasters supporting cornice brackets, Tudor arch with pierced carved. Spandrels below fascia board. West return in similar style but 1st floor blank except for huge, framed name panel.”

The WhatPub link is here: WhatPub/Royal Albert

The Royal Albert featured on the Fragments of the True (New) Cross: Evening Crawl of New Cross and Deptford in April 2017.