Ye Olde Murenger House facts for kids
Ye Olde Murenger House is a special building in Newport, Wales. It looks like an old, fancy house with its "mock Tudor" style front. This means it's a newer building made to look like homes from the Tudor period, which was a long time ago! Today, it's a popular pub, but it has a long and interesting history.
The name "Murenger" comes from a very old job. A murenger was a person in medieval times who collected money. This money was used to fix or build the town's walls. These taxes were called a "murage." So, the pub's name reminds us of a time when towns needed strong walls for protection! This building is also listed as Grade II listed, which means it's an important historical site in the area.
A Look Back in Time
The story of this spot goes way back to 1533. At that time, a large house for the Herbert family stood here. Later, in the 1600s, it became a pub called the Fleur de Lys.
The original stone building was taken down in 1816. Then, the pub we see today was built in 1819. You might notice the upper floors of the building stick out over the lower ones. These are called "jetties." Photos from around 1900 show these jetties weren't there yet. They were added later to give it that classic mock Tudor look.
In 1951, the building was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building. This means it's important for its history in the local area. By the 1970s, the pub needed a lot of repairs. Luckily, a company called Sam Smith's took it over in 1980. They fixed it up, and it reopened in 1983, looking great! In 2014, some people even suggested it should be a spot on a Newport version of the Monopoly board game.
What the Building Looks Like
The pub has three main floors, and the upper floors stick out a bit. It also has an attic with a pointy roof section, called a gable, facing the street. This gable has a window with three sections.
The first and second floors have large windows that also stick out from the building. These are called "oriel windows." They are surrounded by square wooden panels. The ground floor, where you enter, has a front that was added in the early 1900s. It has a big window with six sections on the right side.
Inside, you can find a painting of a famous Welsh boxer. His name was David 'Bomber' Pearce, and he was an undefeated heavyweight champion!
