Sawyers Arms
| Sawyers Arms | |
|---|---|
 The pub in 2018 | |
  Location within Greater Manchester | |
Alternative names | Sawyer's Arms Sawyers' Arms Sawyers Arms Hotel |
General information | |
| Type | Public house |
| Location | Deansgate, Manchester, England |
| Coordinates | 53°28′51″N 2°14′54″W / 53.4808°N 2.2483°W |
| Year built | Late 19th century |
| Renovated | 2014 |
| Owner | Nicholson's Pubs |
| Design and construction | |
| Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II | |
Official name | Sawyers Arms public house |
| Designated | 3 October 1974 |
| Reference no. | 1282973 |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Sawyers Arms is a Grade II listed public house on Deansgate in Manchester, England. The present building dates from the late 19th century, but licensed premises have occupied the site since at least the 1730s, leading some sources to describe it as one of the city's oldest surviving pubs. After closing in 1988 and being converted to retail use, it was brought back into operation by Nicholson's Pubs and reopened in 2014 following refurbishment.
History
The present building was constructed in the late 19th century, according to its official listing.[1] Earlier structures on the site housed licensed premises from at least the 1730s, and some secondary sources describe the Sawyers Arms as one of Manchester's oldest pubs on the basis of a long‑established licence recorded in that decade.[2][3] The pub appears in 18th and 19th‑century trade directories, with successive landlords listed as Deansgate developed into a major commercial thoroughfare.[4][5][6] Ordnance Survey town plans indicate that the building occupying the plot was altered or rebuilt during the Victorian period, reflecting wider redevelopment along the street.[7][8]
On 3 October 1974, the pub was designated a Grade II listed building.[1]
The pub closed in 1988 and the ground floor was converted to retail use. It was later brought back into operation by Nicholson's Pubs, reopening in December 2014 following a refurbishment.[9][10]
Architecture
The building is constructed in brick with stucco and terracotta detailing, topped by a slate roof. It occupies an irregular corner plot at the junction with John Dalton Street, where the elevation curves to follow the street line. The design incorporates a mixture of Victorian stylistic elements, including classical motifs.[1]
It is arranged over three storeys above a cellar, with the façades divided into a series of bays. At ground level, the frontage includes prominent glazed terracotta pilasters and a continuous frieze. The upper floors contain sash windows set within moulded surrounds, some with pediments, and the central windows on the Deansgate side are linked by small balustraded balconies. A cornice and parapet define the roofline, which is hipped and without visible chimneys.[11]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 Historic England. "Sawyers Arms public house (Grade II) (1282973)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "The Sawyers Arms Reborn?". confidentials.com. Confidentials Manchester. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ Brown, Ben (13 July 2021). "Building Secrets: The Oldest Pub in Manchester". manchestersfinest.com. Manchester's Finest. Archived from the original on 23 May 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "Scholes's Manchester & Salford Directory, 1797". leicester.contentdm.oclc.org. p. 80. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
Lees William, victualler, Sawyer's Arms, 28, Nichols'-croft
- ↑ "Slater's Directory of Manchester & Salford, 1876". leicester.contentdm.oclc.org. p. 473. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
Preston — William, Sawyers' Arms, 80 Bridge st, Deansgate
- ↑ "Slater's Directory of Manchester & Salford, 1883". leicester.contentdm.oclc.org. p. 319. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
Martin — George Thomas, Sawyers' Arms Inn, 138 Deansgate & Bridge st
- ↑ "Town Plans of England and Wales, 1840s–1890s | Manchester and Salford Sheet 28". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1849. Archived from the original on 25 February 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "Town Plans of England and Wales, 1840s–1890s | Manchester - Lancashire CIV.10.4". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1888. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "Sawyers Arms, Manchester". camra.org.uk. Campaign for Real Ale. Archived from the original on 15 December 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
- ↑ "Case Study | Sawyer's Arms Manchester" (PDF). pacificbuilding.co.uk. Pacific Building. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
- ↑ "Sawyers Arms Public House". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. British Listed Buildings. Archived from the original on 17 October 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
External links
