Everyone who followed the sale of The Crooked House earlier this year was devastated when it burnt down shortly after (August 5). Many of us had hoped the sale would breathe new life into ‘Britain’s wonkiest pub’. Instead, the pub, which had stood since 1765, was demolished and became nothing more than a pile of rubble.
After its destruction, the new wonkiest pub in Britain was found: The Tilted Barrel in Tipton. Located just five miles from where The Crooked House stood, this Victorian boozer features a door more crooked than the building and an uneven bar. Apparently, locals loved performing optical illusions on visitors, such as sticking a coin on a shelf and watching it roll uphill!
Now, The Tilted Barrel is following in the footsteps of the pub it wrestled the crown from (no, not like that) and is up for sale! Birmingham-based Cottons is holding an auction on October 25 at Avery Fields for the pub, with the guide price set at £178,000. It boasts 1,315 sq ft of space, which includes an L-shaped bar, two cellars, three store rooms, two bedrooms, a kitchen, several bathrooms and a lounge.
The Grade II-listed building was constructed in the mid-1800s, with the pub’s recognisable crooked appearance a result of mining subsidence at an early stage. The landlady of Britain’s new wonkiest pub, Haych Mann, only took over in February. She spent several months refurbishing The Tilted Barrel, so we’re not sure what has led to her decision to sell.
Maybe it is because the slanted walls meant she had to move the pool table, to stop balls from seemingly rolling uphill. Or maybe it’s because the dartboard sits at an odd angle. All we know is that any new owner won’t find it easy to alter the building’s wonky stance – thanks to its Grade II-listed status, it’s well protected.
The property description reads:
An opportunity to purchase a famous Black Country Public House, known as The Tilted Barrel comprising of a Grade II Listed two storey detached premises of brick construction surmounted by a pitched slate clad roof, prominently situated at the junction of High Street and Parkes Lane.
The property was constructed circa mid 1800’s and was affected by mining subsidence at an early stage, resulting in the pubs recognisable crooked appearance and it is well documented in the media that since the recent demise of The Crooked House pub at Himley, the Tilted Barrel is regarded as the most crooked public house in the UK.
The property is located in a densely populated mixed use area containing a range of residential properties interspersed with commercial and industrial units and is situated approximately 2 miles to the North of Dudley Town Centre, 5 miles to the South East of Wolverhampton City Centre and 7 miles to the North West of Birmingham City Centre.
To learn more about the sale of Britain’s wonkiest pub head here.