The Old Crown, Digbeth - A Birmingham Gem!

The Old Crown is believed to be one of the oldest buildings, if not the oldest, in Birmingham, with a history dating back to 1450. It is a must visit for followers of history and architecture.


Where is The Old Crown?

The Old Crown is at 188 High Street Deritend, Digbeth, Birmingham, B12 0LD.

 

In brief

The Old Crown in Digbeth claims to have been established on this site since at least 1368, making it one of the oldest pubs in Birmingham.

The Old Crown during St Patrick's Day (March 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Old Crown, Digbeth - history

The Old Crown claims to have been established in 1368, but it's more likely sometime in the 16th century.  The building was built between 1450 and 1500, with some evidence dating to 1492. A man named Leland entering Birmingham in 1538 described it as a "mansion house made of timber".

The Old Crown DigbethOld Crown Inn Deritend, Birmingham. By George Warren Blackham. Watercolour. Topographical view of Birmingham, from the Birmingham Museums Trust collection.

 

The Old Crown DigbethOld Crown Inn, Deritend, Birmingham. By J. Alfred Swatkins. Etching. Topographical view of Birmingham, from the Birmingham Museums Trust collection.

 

The Old Crown DigbethOld Crown Inn, Deritend, Birmingham, 1895-1900. By Samuel Henry Baker (d. 1909). Etching. From the Birmingham Museums Trust Collection.

 

The Old Crown DigbethThe Old Crown, Digbeth in 1960. Photographed by Phyllis Nicklin. Copyrighted to the University of Birmingham / BrumPic.

 

The Old Crown DigbethThe Old Crown, Digbeth in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Photographed by Phyllis Nicklin. Copyrighted to the University of Birmingham / BrumPic.

 

The Old Crown in Digbeth (October 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The building is thought to have been originally built as the Guidhall and School of St.John Deritend.  The earliest evidence of it being used as an Inn is from 1626 and many battles were fought around the building during the English Civil War.

In 1851 and again in 1856 and 1862, the building was fortunately saved from demolition by Joshua Toulmin Smith.  In 1991, a local pub company owned by the Brennan family bought the old Crown and it was restored to its former glory.  

The Old Crown at 649 years old in 2017. Photography by Pat Taylor

 

The building has a black and white timber frame.  It has a courtyard to the rear which contains an old well opened up after more than 100 years.  

The Old Crown Digbeth

Rear courtyard at The Old Crown in Digbeth (October 2009). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

It has been a Grade II* listed building since 1952. The building comprises of 186, 187 and 188 High Street Deritend, and is at the corner of Heath Mill Lane (near the Custard Factory).

The Old Crown DigbethSnow at The Old Crown in Digbeth (March 2018). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Midland Metro Alliance have been resurfacing the road outside of The Old Crown from July 2021 to July 2022. This included a new paving surface in front of the pub. They also found a secret entrance when they dug up the pavement, thought to be a coal hole. It has been covered over, but there is a couple of manhole covers on the new pavement surface. Tarmacing of the road outside started in late May 2022.

The Old CrownThe Old Crown in Digbeth (May 2022). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The road through the Digbeth High Street was reopened as bidirectional on the side of the road near The Custard Factory and The Old Crown, around November 2022. By 2023, most of the barriers on that side had been removed. Some sections with plants.

The Old CrownThe Old Crown in Digbeth (January 2024). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Contact details

The Old Crown

0121 248 1368

alex@theoldcrown.com

 

Project dates

14 Feb 2021 - On-going

Passions

History & heritage, Classic Architecture

Contact

Your Place Your Space

Jonathan Bostock

0121 410 5520
jonathan.bostock@ yourplaceyourspace.com