Bull's Head, Stockport
| Bull's Head | |
|---|---|
 The pub in 2012 | |
  Location within Greater Manchester | |
General information | |
| Status | Vacant |
| Type | Public house (former) |
| Location | Market Place, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England |
| Coordinates | 53°24′41″N 2°09′25″W / 53.4113°N 2.1570°W |
| Year built | Mid-19th century |
| Closed | 2011 |
| Owner | Robinsons |
| Design and construction | |
| Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Bulls Head public house |
| Designated | 10 March 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1067182 |
The Bull's Head is a Grade II listed former public house on Market Place in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. Although the present building dates from the mid‑19th century, a pub of the same name stood on the site from at least the early 18th century and was a venue for political gatherings in the early 19th century. It was acquired by Robinsons Brewery in 1917. The building has been closed since 2011, and a refurbishment announced in 2020 has not been followed by any further updates as of August 2026.
History
The building was constructed in the mid-19th century, according to its official listing.[1][a] Other sources, however, indicate that a public house called the Bull's Head had occupied the site since 1731.[2][3] Contemporary accounts record that political radicals Henry Hunt, Feargus O'Connor, and Richard Cobden addressed crowds from a balcony at the Bull's Head in the early 19th century,[4] suggesting that an earlier structure stood on the site prior to the later rebuilding described in the listing. A blue plaque on the exterior of the building records this history.[5]
The 1874 Ordnance Survey map shows the building without a name or designation,[6] while the 1922 and 1936 editions record it as a public house.[7][8] In 1917 the Bull's Head was acquired by Robinsons Brewery.[9]
On 10 March 1975, the Bull's Head was designated a Grade II listed building.[1] It forms a group with the Grade II-listed 8 Market Place and Bank Chambers on St Petersgate.[10][11] The pub has remained closed since November 2011 after a period of poor trading.[9] Robinsons announced in 2020 that a refurbishment was planned,[3] but there have been no subsequent reports on whether the work proceeded or on the pub's future as of August 2026.
Architecture
The building has three storeys and a rendered exterior with painted stone details and a slate roof.[2] The ground level is arranged as a continuous frontage of door and window openings set between pilasters with decorative tops. A cornice runs above them, finished with ball-shaped ornaments at each end.[2] On the upper floors, groups of three windows set between very slender metal supports alternate with single windows.[1] Those on the first floor are topped with small projecting ledges carried on curved brackets.[12] A further moulded cornice with paired brackets sits above. Inside, the layout has been altered, though some original ceiling plasterwork remains.[2]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council gives a construction date of 1867.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 Historic England. "Bulls Head public house (Grade II) (1067182)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Bulls Head PH". stockport.gov.uk. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- 1 2 Baggs, Lydia; Keeling, Neal (30 January 2020). "Stockport town centre renaissance continues as Robinsons Brewery announces £400k refurbishment for historic pub". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 25 June 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Pellant, Georgina (31 January 2020). "It's been closed for nearly a decade – but now this historic Stockport pub is getting a £400k refurb". ilovemanchester.com. I Love Manchester. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "Stockport Blue Plaques". stockport.gov.uk. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 9 November 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841–1952 | Cheshire X.15". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1874. Archived from the original on 27 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841–1952 | Lancashire CXII.9". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1922. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841–1952 | Lancashire CXII.9". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1936. Archived from the original on 28 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Bulls Head, Stockport". camra.org.uk. Campaign for Real Ale. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Historic England. "8, Market Place (Grade II) (1162614)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ Historic England. "Bank Chambers (Grade II) (1067154)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
- ↑ "Bulls Head Public House". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
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