Pontefract Castle, London

Posted on 27. Oct, 2011 by Robert Gale in Pubs

$Pontefract Castle, London$

The Pontefract Castle is a large corner pub in Marylebone, just a short distance from Oxford Street.

The Name

According to the Nicholsons website, the pub’s owners, the pub is named after Pontefract Castle, a ruined Norman castle located in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

“During the English Civil War, it was taken by an ancestor of the great landowners in Marylebone where the pub stands. The name Marylebone derives from the church of St. Mary and the River Tyburn that runs in a culvert within yards of our pub – hence St. Mary-by-the-Bourne.”

The Interior

When I’ve visited the pub I’ve only sat in the ground floor bar. There is plent of seating available and the large bar is well stocked with ale and the usual lagers. A spiral staircase leads upstairs to a seating area. A cellar bar is accessible at the rear of the bar which apparently has a small bar.

Some reviews say that the pub is spread over 4 floors with an upstairs bar available. I’m not sure if this bar is on the upper seating area at the top of the spiral staircase or if there is a further floor above.

Limited seating is also available outside in a cordoned off area to the side of the pub.

The Beer

Being a Nicholson’s pub you can usually find a good selection of beer from breweries around the UK. 6 hand pumps are available in the main ground floor bar and you’ll probably always find beers like Fullers London Pride and Sharps Doom Bar.

When I visited in October 2011 the guests were from Adnams, Sharps, Downton and Roosters. In the past they’ve also featured St Austell, Thornbridge, York, Moor, Titanic and Lancaster.

Should You Visit?

The pub is pleasant enough and as with all Nicholson’s pubs there is a good selection of ales. The food is the usual pub grub which has mixed reviews.

If you want a more traditional pub you may want to try the Golden Eagle around the corner on Marylebone Lane. It’s basic, has less beers on offer, but it’s a proper boozer.

More Photos of the Pontefract Castle

$Pontefract Castle, London$

$Pontefract Castle, London$

$Pontefract Castle, London$

$Pontefract Castle, London$

$Pontefract Castle, London$

Venue Location

Pontefract Castle

71 Wigmore Street

Marylebone

London

W1U 1QB

Tel: 020 7935 8034

twb.im/pontefractcastle

View on Google Street View

Robert Gale (Twitter: @awv)

Beer Taster, Pub Attendee, Photo Taker

Robert Gale likes beer, pubs and beer festivals. He also likes to take photos of beer, pubs and beer festivals. Most weekends of the year you can find him travelling around the UK (and sometimes beyond) photographing and reviewing good quality pubs and beer festivals. He also has a day job in the form of a web developer for Ozum.