This pub is not only a grade II listed building, it is also a Two Star pub on the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) National Inventory with an interior of very special national historic interest, and the description written by Dr Geoff Brandwood is as follows: “A grand Jacobean-style pub of 1899-1900 for the Cannon Brewery of Clerkenwell and an ambitious example from the golden age of pub-building. The architects were Shoebridge & Rising who designed many a pub for Cannon. Marc Girouard writes ‘They liked elaborate Flemish gables, concave pediments, columns or pilasters rusticated half the way up, oval windows, plenty of stripes, and turrets with saucy little domes.’ It received a massive refurbishment in 1998 after being purchased by the Moran Group, an Ireland-based pub and hotel company. This saw the rear of the building being gutted and a 152-room hotel built on the right which opened in 2001, connected by a glass and concrete structure. However, the original public bar at the front and more especially the lounge on the right retain significant work original to 1900. Much of the work here is thought to be by Henry Whiteman Rising (1857- 1936). He was articled to John Louth Clemence of Lowestoft in 1876-80 and remained as an assistant. He worked for various others including a spell learning carpentry, joinery, plumbing, smithing and painting. Perhaps in consequence, his pub designs were noted for their excellent woodwork and complex bar fittings. He commenced independent practice in 1886 and was joined by W G Shoebridge about 1896. The lounge is a long room with two sets of doors on the right and a lobby at the front. It has an excellent survival of original ornamented glazing. One set of doors declares ’The Crown Lounge Cricklewood’ and another towards the rear says ‘Buffet, Dining Room, Billiards’. What was the billiard room is almost certainly the totally modernised space in the angle between the lounge and the public bar. There are three fireplaces with green glazed brick facings and 3-D copper reliefs. There is a splendid bar-back fitting. Just above the main shelf there is a row of ornate deep-cut etched mirrors featuring birds and flowers and on the far left a curved section probably represents a former publican’s office. A number of bell-pushes remain (very unusual in London). Public bar. Four sets of doors indicate it was originally subdivided. Some of the fittings appear more inter-war than Victorian. Through three archways on the left there is a smaller servery with another curved counter similar to the left and right parts at the front. The bar-back is of six bays and may be inter-war. The small lobby between the two bars has a marble floor and an ornate wood surround and a fireplace with green mottled glazed facing.”

The listing description is as follows: “Dated 1900. Grand "Jacobean" public house of 2 storeys with 2 dormered storeys in mansard roof. Three storey wing to right 4 bays faced in sandstone. Rusticated attached columns and pilasters flank 4 entrance doors to main block and 2 doors to wing, first floor projection of 16 lights with single flanking 2 light windows. Two windows to wing. Two bay decorative gabling at second floor with mullioned windows surmounted by blind archway. Second floor to wing battlemented with ornamental crest, pyramid roof and decorative finial.”

The WhatPub link is here: WhatPub/Crown London Hotel

The Pub Heritage Group link is here: WhatPub/Crown London Hotel

The Crown London Hotel (then the Clayton Crown Hotel) featured on the Kilburn and the High Roads: Daytime Crawl of Cricklewood, Brondesbury and Kilburn on 18 October 2014 nd the Revivals and Survivals: Daytime Crawl of Willesden Green, Cricklewood, Brondesbury, Kilburn and St John's Wood on 23 February 2019.