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Detail Pages
The Brownswood, N4
N4
N4 2EX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Brownswood
Originally built in the mid-19th century as the Brownswood Hotel for the Wenlock brewery.
A first in here, prompted by it appearing on CAMRA’s heritage inventory for having an interior of Some Regional Importance and now without the noisy fan or black floor.
It’s a commanding corner pub with much larvikite cladding (no, me neither). The interior is really rather grand. The floor’s boarded but the central bar has some fine carvings as well as etched mirrors, the bar itself being attractive and original. There’s an unusual coffered ceiling with ornate cornicing, as well as some great ceiling roses with ‘fern’ plaster embellishments. There’s an open kitchen to the right rear but there are at least two fireplaces, one is topped with a fantastic Bass mirror emerging from a wooden fireplace surround, probably added when the pub was surrendered to Charrington’s; other Bass/Charrington’s regalia remain and are probably original. The windows are of particular interest, as they are not typical picture windows, but arched and in quite deep recesses, punctuated by bare wood fluted architraves (see photo). There are some remaining etched glass screens with some t ‘n’ g panelling to dado height, painted battleship grey. Walls are either white, grey as a gastro nod, or with some trendy monochrome wallpaper. A sweeping staircase takes one up the first-floor function room which is a departure from the more traditional ground floor, featuring distressed brick and the modern lavs Furniture is largely conventional and lighting comes from quite traditional hanging iron and glass chandeliers. Customers seemed to be professional types and older than many of the customers in nearby trendy pubs.
There were three ales on, served by a very friendly and busy barmaid who reminded me of Jodie Comer. For the record, three unused pumps then Tribute and Five Points XPA on great form and at a reasonable £4.90 a pint.
Detractors will probably say that the interior looks like a tearoom that’s part of a Regency National Trust property, but this is a great pub and I’d be happy to stay longer. It would also make for a great stop after a visit to nearby Clissold Park, but by night would make for a decent threesome with the nearby Bank of Friendship and Woodbine.
On 5th March 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Komakino . left this review about The Brownswood
Located on a busy crossroads this pub is currently thriving. Presumably a former Bass charge if a couple of large mirrors and an etched slate sign with the ubiquitous red triangle are anything to go by, this pub offers a decent ale range and was busy on the food front on a Sunday lunchtime. Inside, a snorkel-shaped bar dominates the centre of the pub with a curved staircase in the corner leading to an upstairs, unexplored, room. The floor is black and polished and a grey and teak scheme predominates. Pump-wise, Harvey's Sussex Best, Sambrooks Wandle, Theakstons Old Peculiar, St Austell Tribute and Timothy Taylor Landlord were the cask line-up with Old Rosie and Thatcher's Heritage as cider options: Camden Hells Lager and Pale Ale, and Meantime London Pale Ale and Yakima Red were available on keg. A couple of real ciders were available from wooden faux-barrels behind the bar - Sanford Fanny's Bramble and Devon Cider - for the appleheads. A half of the Theakstons was £2.25, and although looking rather watery, was in decent shape. A half of the Yakima was £2.40. The only bugbear on this visit was the noise from a loud extraction fan from a servery beyond the bar which knocked some of the ambience.
On 26th September 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1075 recommendations about 1075 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Brownswood Park Tavern
The pub was closed with the windows "whited out" when I walked by yesterday, however a sign in the window informs that it is being refurbished and will open soon with "a fine array of real ales and farmyard ciders along with hearty food".
On 3rd July 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]