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Home > Durham > Barnard Castle > Shoulder Of Mutton

Shoulder Of Mutton

 

Picture source: Hania Franek


 
The Shoulder Of Mutton was situated at 34 The Bank. Dated 1742, part Georgian and part Elizabethan, it was built as an inn, The Hat And Feather, later renamed The Turks Head then The Shoulder Of Mutton until the late 1950s. It was then known locally as ' The Bucket of Blood' due to because the landlord once lowered a pail down his well, expecting to draw up some fresh water, but instead he pulled up a bucket of blood. This naturally concerned him, and on investigation, he discovered a regular had toppled down the well and died. A grade-II listed building, it was used as an antiques shop following closure, then a private house.
 

 
Listed building details:
Inn, now house. Dated 1742. Incorporates C17 fabric in rear wing. Ashlar with plinth and painted rusticated quoins; roof of stone slates with stone gable copings and ashlar and rendered chimneys.
Exterior: 3 storeys; 4-window range, with 2-storey rear wing. Steps up to wide 2-panel door in second bay in architrave with segmental pediment. Date and initials: `RD 1742' inscribed in pediment. Cross-casement window to left of door in plain reveals said to be inserted in former vehicle entrance. Architraves and projecting stone sills to other similar tall windows on ground and first floors and smaller 2-light casements on top floor which abut top entablature with eaves gutter cornice. Roof has slightly swept eaves, stone gable copings on cyma-moulded kneelers, and rendered end chimneys on stone plinths. Rear wing has stone and wood lintels over varied openings.
Interior: dogleg stair with turned balusters and newels and closed string. Boarded and 2-panel doors on top floor; windows in splayed reveals which drop to form seats. Roof completely ceiled and without any access. Rear wing, partly plastered and with first-floorboards removed, shows first-floor fire with flat Tudor-arched stone surround, some wood-mullioned windows, and one window on internal wall has lozenge leaded glazing with original glass in situ although damaged.
History: built as an inn: the Hat and Feather, according to owner's deeds. Later known as the Turk's Head, then the Shoulder of Mutton until 1955; known locally as the Bucket of Blood. Derelict until restored by present owner; rear wing not yet restored.
 

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Contacts
Make email contact with other ex-customers and landlords of this pub by adding your details to this page.

Name Dates Comments
Harry Macbeth 1959-1961 Customer , stationed at Deerbolt Camp
Ms Ray Howard 1954-c1959 My father was the landlord of the Pub for the above dates. We lived upstairs. I had the first floor room on the left as my bedroom and the room on the right was our living room. I went to the local school.
 
Other Photos
Date of photo: 2012

Picture source: Peter Clarke