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Detail Pages
The Castle, Macclesfield
Macclesfield
SK11 6LB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about The Castle
This is a cosy, multiple roomed pub with bags of character, handily located close to the station. The entrance porch has a door to the right for a nice little snug bar, or else continues straight on along a corridor which gives access to other rooms. The snug is a pleasant spot with limited seating and access to the main part of the servery where all the handpulls can be found. Dark wood panels, leaded front windows and an extensive pump clip collection around the walls and ceiling, give the room the feel of a traditional alehouse and the bar has a tongue and groove panelled counter with the bar back to one side, allowing you to look through to the second bar in the back room. The corridor passes a small serving hatch with some nice glasswork, opposite which is a room to the left with nice wood panelling and a good amount of bench and chair seating, plus an old fireplace on the end wall. The rear bar is to the right, in a bare boarded room with low wood panelling, a large rug, a big pub sign style mural, a long curved banquette with bell pushes on the board behind, an attractive tiled fireplace and some patterned leaded glasswork with a full height window above that looks back into the corridor. An open window space at the back looks through to a large rear room which has plenty more tables and chairs, another fireplace with an elaborately framed mirror above and a collection of pub games on the rear window sill. At the end of the corridor, there's a high skylight and the wall here is lined with many potted plants. Indie tunes played quite loudly, which seemed at odds with the pub's general character.
The bar supports three cask ales ,which were Intrepid B'am, Tattoo Best and Whim Flower Power on this occasion. A very friendly barmaid poured me an excellent pint of the Best, then came over and fixed my wobbly table before offering to light the fire for me - now that is attentive service. All the locals seemed to have a good rapport with the staff too, and I got the impression this was a popular pub, despite the quiet, mid-afternoon turnout.
I was really impressed with this place, which I thought had a great interior, some very well-kept ale and top class service. It was the first pub I visited when I got off the train in Macclesfield and I'm not convinced I saw a better one during my two days here.
Date of visit - 16th January 2024
On 12th May 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Castle
Aged and tight backstreet pub with a heritage interior (CAMRA NI listed at a nationally-important level). Corridor access gives you a small snug at the front right with a double-sided bar having another room behind, and there’s a small side room left. Beyond up some steps is a larger more modern area. Log fires in most rooms. Some negatives to counter balance; in the quiet front snug two entitled middle aged Cheshire goons decided to watch videos on their phone without being pulled-up by staff which drove me to the rear room, where I was then aurally assaulted by awful, loud music. Some food is available with ambitious pricing, I was stung for £4.25 for an (admittedly very nice) roast beef cob. Three cask on, 2x Squawk and Mobberley. My Squawk Robin was fine (NBSS 3). Mixed bag overall; it's certainly a marvellous heritage pub but it's not quite the premier league I expected. I was quite happy to shove off after one despite pencilling in time for at least two pints. It's GBG'23 listed.
On 20th February 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5185 recommendations about 5168 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Castle
Visited this excellent pub just before the review below, but failed to get the review sorted out in time. :-)) We sat in the room to the left of the entrance which is very atmospheric, Ms CAMRA loved it. According to the guys just up the road at the Wet Led Bar it cost the new owners almost £250,000 to get this reopened. Well done guys, it was money well spent in our opinion. We'll come back and spend some more of our money with you next time we're in Macc, which will be soon.
On 15th February 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3225 recommendations about 3136 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Castle
First visit since its thankful reopening, this is indeed a venerable survivor. Handily placed between the town centre and station, but tucked away in a side street halfway up the hill. It retains a multi-room layout, with the 'main' bar at the front (little bigger than a snug) and a slightly bigger lounge beyond the central servery. Both of these spaces are characterful, but the side room on the other side of the entrance corridor is a real gem, and further seating is available in another larger room at the back. Although it only has three handpumps, these offer real ales in different styles, ranging from the Bosley Cloud pale from Storm Brewing to Red Willow's Feckless bitter (£3.90) and the Wantsum Black Prince from Kent. Excellent place.
On 13th February 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8149 recommendations about 8149 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Castle
Reopened after a long closure,this CAMRA Nationally Important Interior must be seen by all pub lovers.There are so many original features,the ceilings are low and the atmosphere terrific.The cosy island bar serves a small front tap room,a rear saloon not much bigger and a corridor hatch serving area for the side snug and anyone drinking further back or in the garden.
There are 3 handpumps serving a rotating selection from some fine regional brewers judging by the pump clips on display.On my trip RedWillow Feckless (NBSS 4.5),Beartown Polar Eclipse (NBSS 4.5) and Wincle Bengal Buttress.Ale is served in dimple glasses and the bar staff were friendly ,chatty and very informative.
This is a classic small town centre pub and is an absolute must visit in Macc.I will stay a lot longer on my next visit.
On 8th October 2021
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2748 recommendations about 2748 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Castle
A lovely unspoilt old pub in the back streets behind Macclesfield's town centre, the Castle is easily reached from either the station or the main shopping streets. Two doors lead off the entrance porch, and the one on the right seemed to have a glimmer of light through it while the other appeared dark, so I turned right. This is a tiny and basic tap room, with the pump clips turned around not because the beers were off but because the room behind the bar is the one more used. The beers on were Merlin Sir Galahad and Ringwood Best. I went for the latter just to break a sequence of blonde beers, and this was OK if not spectacularly good - other pump clips on the walls hinted at more interesting fare that has been available previously.
Behind the unlit door are three further rooms, in varying and more comfortable styles. I encourage reviewers with more time than I had on my brief visit to write detailed descriptions of these interesting-looking rooms. Or I could come back again myself...
On 20th February 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3777 recommendations about 3507 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Castle Inn
The Castle is a nice looking pub on a narrow cobbled street that is close to the town centre and the train station.
This pub seemed unalterd inside with a few small rooms there was a small lounge to the left and a smaller room to the right and further back there is a larger room,the pub had an olde worlde feel to it with copper topped tables and horse brasses and other nicknacks on the walls.
There were three real ales on the bar i had a drink of Theakston mild and this was a decent drink the other beers were Theakston bitter and Courage Directors.
I thought this was a really nice pub and would happily come in here again.
Pub visited 23/9/2000
On 23rd September 2000
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]