The Wheatsheaf, Littleborough

The Wheatsheaf
Semi-circular stone building
The building in 2009
The Wheatsheaf, Littleborough is located in Greater Manchester
The Wheatsheaf, Littleborough
Location within Greater Manchester
General information
TypePublic house
LocationChurch Street, Littleborough, Greater Manchester, England
Coordinates53°38′37″N 2°05′45″W / 53.6436°N 2.0959°W / 53.6436; -2.0959
Year builtEarly 1860s
OwnerStonegate
Design and construction
Designations
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name
The Roundhouse,
Wheatsheaf Buildings
Designated23 April 1986
Reference no.1068526

The Wheatsheaf is a Grade II listed public house on Church Street[a] in Littleborough, a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England. Built in the early 1860s, it stands on the site of an earlier inn of the same name, recorded as far back as 1780. Part of the semi‑circular building continues to house the pub, while the remainder is occupied by commercial premises.

History

The present building dates from the early 1860s, according to its official listing.[1] The name Wheat Sheaf is recorded much earlier, with directories listing Robert Hirst as publican in 1821 and the name itself documented as far back as 1780.[1] The 1893 and 1941 Ordnance Survey maps record the building as a hotel, but do not attribute a name.[3][4]

On 23 April 1986, the building was designated a Grade II listed structure.[1] As of 2025, the pub's freehold is owned by Stonegate Pub Company.[5]

Architecture

The building is constructed from roughly finished stone and has a slate roof. It follows a curved plan, rises three storeys, and is divided into ten bays. There are continuous stone bands between the floors and a decorative parapet above the eaves.[6] The windows vary by level: the ground floor has round‑headed openings with pointed surrounds, the first floor has shouldered heads, and the top floor has arched heads. Two shopfront windows sit on the north side.[1] The doorways use a mix of arched and shouldered openings, and one entrance features small columns with carved capitals supporting a cusped arch and a multi‑foil panel above.[1] Chimneys stand along the roof ridge. Inside, although much has been altered, some original elements remain, including fireplaces, plaster cornices, and a staircase with cast‑iron balusters.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The building's official listing gives its address as The Square, but its address is on Church Street.[1][2]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Historic England. "The Roundhouse, Wheatsheaf Buildings (Grade II) (1068526)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "USRN: 32000429 | Church Street, Littleborough East, Littleborough". findmystreet.co.uk. FindMyStreet. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841–1952 | Lancashire LXXXI.10". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1893. Archived from the original on 28 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "OS 25 inch England and Wales, 1841–1952 | Lancashire LXXXI.10". maps.nls.uk. Ordnance Survey. 1941. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "Wheatsheaf, Littleborough". camra.org.uk. Campaign for Real Ale. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 "The Roundhouse, Wheatsheaf Buildings". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
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