The Old Sugar Loaf Inn.
Former Coaching Inn on the main North-South route through Newbury.
Regulars of this photo blog will know of my keen interest in a building’s past. The clues are often there if you look.
I have walked past this building many times and wondered about its history. It is clearly two buildings (No 16 Bartholomew Street on the right, No 17 on the left). The archway in the middle appears older than the building to which it is attached.
In fact, both buildings comprise the former Sugar Loaf Inn. It is not surprising that there would be a major coaching inn on this road. Although it is a pedestrian precinct (most of the time) now, in its day it would have been the main A339 (Alton to Newbury and the North). This road is now routed further to the east.
The archway comprises tiled walls, which would have surrounded the entrance to the stabling area. No 17 has clearly been re-fronted from its days as the Sugar Loaf Inn – not particularly sensitively. It has been part of the headquarters of Newbury Building Society, although it is now empty. They still have offices in the buildings behind.
No 16 now appears to be a part-time and rather pricey restaurant. It has previously been a French Restaurant. The whole building is now listed Grade II.
Photograph Details:
- Taken: 8 May 2017
- Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 MkII
- Lens: Olympus 14-42 1:3.5-5.6
- Focal Length 14mm
- F/4
- 1/15 Sec
- ISO 400
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This was not the Sugar Loaf, which was closer to the church at No 11. The archway led trhough to the Milk Marketing Board depot (hence the cream and blue tiles). Earlier it was the Atlas Brewery.
Nor was the Sugar Loaf a coaching inn – more a restaurant (it eventually morphed into the Popular Restaurant).
Thank you. I stand corrected! I was going by the information I found on the internet. I appreciate your local knowledge.