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Edinburgh Suggestions with Walty
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Will Larter
Submitted on Tuesday, 12th August 2025
With picture contributions to 12539 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (10 more images)
Detail Pages
Crown & Thistle, Stanwix, Carlisle
Stanwix
Carlisle
CA3 9DS
Reviews of Crown & Thistle (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Strongers . left this review about Crown & Thistle
The Crown & Thistle is a proper boozer with an old school governor who wasn’t very impressed with me ordering half a Wainwright Gold, but he cheered up a bit when I paid in cash with the exact £2.20. Purity Brewing’s Mad Goose was also available, and a third hand pump stood unused amongst some standard and premium keg products. The small L-shaped right-hand public bar was empty, but I did have a quick nose in to spot a dartboard at the rear. There were a couple of older gents watching Monday afternoon horse racing and talking to the governor in the larger carpeted left-hand bar where green banquettes run along the front windows and up the left-hand wall opposite the counter. Towards the rear are a couple more televisions that were off, as was the jukebox. Out the back is a decked area with picnics next to the large pub car park. Yes it was quiet, but I could tell that this place would have lots of atmosphere at busier times.
On 10th October 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6277 recommendations about 6240 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about Crown & Thistle
I called in for a much needed beer at exactly noon by the church clock, but this pub opens earlier than that, as there were two locals in and already half way down their pints. (The CAMRA website says 10am.) With two out of three hand pumps being badged, I swerved the Wainwright Gold and asked for a pint of Mad Goose. The lass behind the bar misheard me and said, "oh, is that available in pints now?" or some such, and it took us a while to work out she thought I'd said Magners. Anyway, the Purity Mad Goose was in decent condition (NBSS 3.5, £4.30) and I enjoyed my drink while wondering why I had a memory of being here before.
After a bit of investigation on getting home, I found a notebook for the date when I took photos here in 2017. One of the shots is of a painting of the pub on a snowy night, framed and hanging inside the pub, so I clearly came through the door, but no mention of a visit in my notebook. However, when I matched up the beers drunk with the pubs visited in Carlisle, there was a pub missing, and a beer over: I had a half of Bowness Bay Swan Black here on 16 October 2017, and a mental image of the inside of the pub tells me it was quite a bit busier at around 2pm on that Monday than it was at noon on Tuesday, 12 August this year. For what it's worth.
On 22nd September 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4493 recommendations about 4123 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Crown & Thistle
Traditional side-street pub retaining two separate bars of different sizes. The larger lounge is comfortably furnished with bench seating along the walls and mostly small tables. Two real ales on handpump - Wainwright and Mosaic Gold from Laine Brewing (£3.60, but sat in the pipes too long?) - with Theakston Mild noted amongst the keg taps.
On 27th September 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8928 recommendations about 8928 pubs]
No known official website for this pub.
- CAMRA WhatPub :: Crown & Thistle - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 12 August 2025 by Will Larter
- Car Park : Yes last updated 12 August 2025 by Will Larter
- Micropub : No last updated 22 September 2025 by Tris C
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 09 May 2014 by Dave McNally
- WiFi : Yes last updated 12 August 2025 by Will Larter
