Crooked House, Gornal Woodback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A fascinating building where one end is 4 feet higher than the other and is famous for being able to roll a marble up a table. For that reason alone it is worth a visit. Service and food in the restaurant were excellent this lunchtime and the guest Wychwood's Toasty Oasty at £3.30 was in very good condition. Banks's Bitter also available at £2.85, cider was Thatchers Gold. A few reviewers have obviously had a bad experience here but we couldn't fault it.
|
Made several attempts to speak to staff (e-mail, phone and in person) about holding a wedding reception there. No one ever had the manners to contact me. Would not bother again.
|
Visited this pub for a meal for the first time ,party of 8 on Sat 3rd Dec 2011,the food & wine/bear quality was excellent, the staff i found very approachable and helpfull. the atmosphere was good and the pub it self is very quirky and well worth a visit.
|
Interesting building on the edge of the West Midlands conurbation. The guiness was ok, but fairly average. Seems a pleasant pub.
|
worth a visit for novelty sake of the pub, yes it's very interesting. Staff not very approachable and lacked intrest in the customers. The beer we had was not in good condition. Don't think I would make the effort of returning there.
|
very disappointing.bar service unbelievabley slow,�1 deposit per glass,then when finished wait another age to get deposit back.staff young and pleasant but have no idea about bar service,or pulling a pint[had to ask for glass to be filled as 1/4 of it froth.]expected friendly black country pub,got a soulless gastro pub with no atmosphere whatsoever.as for ghosts,i suspect they were drinkers who'd passed away waiting to be served[dehydration maybe].if these are new owners they need to make it more like a pub,less like an impersonal supermarket.
|
Called in a few weeks ago. We wnated to eat but apparently they were too busy to seat us, even though the resturant was near empty. A very strangely run place to be sure.
Seems they've addressed the plastic glass situation though, by chaotically taking a pound deposit on each glass. Due to there not being enough staff in the place to man the bar this means a long que to get served and then another long que when its time to leave. Have they not heard of glass collectors at this pub?
Can't say I'll bother going back.
|
Visited this pub for the first time in several years. While the building is still fantastic and it is great fun to get the marble from the bar to examine the tilt, the service was poor and the atmosphere weak. Like previous posters we were forced to have plastic glasses outside, even though it was only 3 pm in the afternoon, whilst inside we had to ask the barman to stop playing the same song on repeat over and over again - he did this about 8 times in a row. A real pity as this pub used to be a real diamond.
|
Called in today having hear of this pub many times. Was shocked to be served a beer in very flimsy cheap plastic cup, not how I like to drink real ale. I don't think I'll be going back but it is a very interesting building.
|
Destination pub that has made the most of the mining substinence that has left it in its current leaning position- it attracted some press attention recently.
The pub is about half a mile down a narrow lane off the main Dudley-Wombourne road, so not the easiest to reach. Once you get there, you'll be spending a minute or two looking at the frontage and the doorway, and the buttresses holding up the pub on the southern side of the building.
Inside, the lobby has two doors leading into the lower bar room and the upper lounge- and these doors will play with your sense of perception! The bar is beyond this and serves each room at different levels (of course). The bar room is pleasantly traditional for such a touristy place, with green leather wall mounted seating and traditional furnishings. A tilting grandfather clock makes the most of the room's predicament and is a quirky addition.
The lounge room is more foody and has a fire, whilst a restaurant room solely reserved for dining is behind this.
It's not bad beer wise, although as noted has never made the GBG. Wychwood Hobgoblin, Wychwood Dirty Tackle, Banks Bitter and Mild and a real cider avaiable at the bar. Hobgoblin was considerably better here than its bottled form usually is.
Inevitably it's touristy (there is even a leaflet), and therefore foody, but it seems to have resisted selling out completely, and is worth a visit for the curious, or even if just in the area. Quite enjoyed it here.
|
Another well-known Black Country pub situated in Himley, close to the Staffordshire border.
That intrepid explorer, Roger B, has, as usual, summed up the unusual features of this pub pretty well and I shall refrain from repeating these, suffice it to say that there were the inevitable wondrous and wide-eyed children rolling marbles up the window ledge during my recent visit.
As you turn off the A 4176 ( the pub is signposted ) and drive down a narrow country lane towards the pub, you could be forgiven for thinking you had missed it, but helpful signs saying such things as "it is the right road, we promise" and "mind the bend or you'll be in the cut" encourage you to keep going. I would add another sign - watch out for the potholes in the road!
The pub is now called The Crooked House, but was formerly called the Glynne Arms and that is the name by which it still appears in my well-thumbed Birmingham A-Z.
The pub features on the front cover of the "Strangest Pubs in Britain" book and, notably, copies were on sale behind the bar.( the book is a good read, incidentally, although I know of at least 2 London pubs in it that are no more - Crockers Folly and the Widows Son )
It's a Banks pub, but both the Banks Bitter and Original ran out during my visit ( are there supply problems I wonder ? - see also my comment re the Shakespeare in Dudley ) .Other beers on were Hobgoblin and Ringwood Filly Drift. The pub proudly displays the Cask Marque symbol, but I don't think it's ever made the CAMRA Good Beer Guide )
It is now very much a food orientated family restaurant, although the original rooms at the front remain. There is a large restaurant area at the back, together with a childrens play area, so it's clear where the emphasis lies.
Perhaps inevitably, the pub makes the most of its fame and I noted that a "Black Country Night and Ghost Hunt" occasionally takes place.
In summary, I'd put this pub in the same category as The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds for example. The curious amongst us will want to seek it out and visit - as I recommend you do - even if only once
|
this pub is a strange one! not just the building itself, but the workings! I notice a few people saying the Banks's is not up to scratch. I must agree the last time i went down I had a pint of good old Mild. Now I thought it would be a nice pint being as I saw a cask marque plaque on the wall outside! But what a dissappointment! Warm, cloudy, the head dissappeared after one sip, changed it for a lager and that wasnt much better! Food is a bit upmarket for Lower Gornal, the whole place seems a little stuck up its own behind!!
Also not as busy as I remember it being on the hot sunny days of a weekend! O yes and 45 mins for a tuna and a BLT sandwich is a little excessive!!
|
After seeing the pub on the news we decided to pop down yesterday evening. The place was fantastic, we've both been before quite a few times a few years ago, however, have never seen the place looking as vibrant and busy as it was yesterday. There was a fantastic atmosphere and all staff were really welcoming. We ate and the food was wonderful, it was lovely to have different choices other than your standard, often microwaved, fish and chips, new york chicken, bland pasta dishes etc and we both agreed the prices were really reasonable.
Both inside and outside areas were lovely and the new outside area, that is currently being developed, looks like it will be a wonderful additon to this fantastic attraction.
Thankyou for a wonderful evening! We shall definately be back!
|
I have used the Crooked house on and off for years, mainly for a drink.
On the 3rd April my wife and I decided that as it was a nice night we would go for a meal out, the first pub we tried was expensive and meant a wait of 30 minutes for a table, we decided to go to the Crooked House just a short distance away.
The last time we were there the place was packed, this time there were 5 people in the restaurant area, that should have started warning bells ringing.
Looking through the menu I got the impression this was a restaurant punching above its weight, there were not many nice basic meals on offer, pigs feet in red wine was my starter and wasn�t really worth the mess or the effort of separating the meat from the bone.
My wife had lasagne and chips that she said was very nice, with her meal she had a glass of red wine this she said was also very nice, but at �2 -75 a small glass I wouldn�t have expected anything else.
The menu was limited in its options, I had pie of the day with chips and peas, the pie was steak and ale.
Everything was cooked fresh there was no doubt of that, my steak and ale pie was delivered to the table in its own dish and was red hot, it comprised of a mixture of meat a few other vegetables with a pastry top, there was no added gravy with the meal this caused the meal to be very dry, my verdict on the pie, it was dry had a vinegary taste, and I have tasted far better.
The Banks bitter was warm and not particularly reflective of a good pint of Banks, it was flat and had no bite to it.
Would I return there? Certainly not for a meal, looking at the number of people using the restaurant, if it was my business I would instantly dump the whistles and bells menu, it�s the wrong one for the area, supply good down to earth basic meals and that place will be packed, steak and ale pie comes with a nice gravy, cod chips and peas, some nice faggots, a curry, these are the meals that will attract custom.
On the plus side the staff were first class, I would love to see them succeed in this venture, sadly the low number of customers is evidence that they are not giving the customer what they want.
Jim of Bearwood
|
A fairly normal Banks's pub (beer and food wise) but because of its unusual features and crookidness it is worth a visit if in the area.
(The pub lies just inside Staffordshire btw, although half of the driveway is in the West Mids county..)
|
The Crooked House must be one of the most unusual and unique pubs in the country. Built as a farm cottage in 1765, the pub was a victim of mining subsidence in the later 19th century that has resulted in one end of the pub now being 4 foot lower than the other. Despite being condemned in the 1940�s, the building was bought by Banks� Brewery and restored it to what it is today. Propped up by supports and buttresses, the pub is still 15 degrees off centre and it shows, although some of the features such as window frames and doors have been deliberately altered to enhance the effect. The wonky bit of the pub consists of 2 bars, the saloon to the left and lounge to the right. As you would expect, the interior is like a fairground attraction with doors and windows completely at odds with the floor and wall angles. Pictures on the walls have been cunningly placed at angles to give an even more dramatic effect. A grandfather clock in the saloon bar tilts at an alarming angle towards the small serving area (you will need to ring the bell during quieter periods). In the lounge bar the floor is a bit more even but the remaining angles still confuse the mind into what is supposed to be vertical and what is horizontal. Bottles, coins etc run �uphill� on the tables and windowsills, such are the optical illusions created (they keep a few marbles behind the bar that can be borrowed for a small donation). For those who cannot handle the sloping floors, there is an extended bar at the back of the pub that caters for large groups and has more traditional angles. Fortunately this does not intrude or spoil the character of the �leaning� bars. There are also several benches outside. They do decent and reasonably priced bar food (mainly jacket potatoes and baguettes) as well as a more extensive restaurant menu. They serve decent well priced Bank�s Best and Banks Original as well as a guest beer. The only downside to the pub is that some of the seating is somewhat weathered and uncomfortable but despite this, the Crooked House is definitely a place worth travelling a few miles out of the way for (although it is hard to find).
|
Lovely place to sit outside in the summer. As it starts to get to the evening the chavs come out but hey, it's gornal, so I guess that's to be expected!
|
This pub is just awesome. Me and my mate were heading to a wedding reception in Himley and decided public transport and a country pub crawl were in the offing. And im glad we came here b4 I was too drunk otherwise I dont think I would of kept my footing. Top pint of Guiness here and my mate had a beer which looked well kept.
|
Previous reviews say it all for this amazing pub. Unfortunately since they got rid of the MILD they now only cater for the tourists who will drink anything. So no MILD walk out, low score.
|
You have to get tipsy in this pub. Trying to walk from one side of the room to the other becomes an amazingly hilarious challenge. Try it!
|
This is a fantastic pub that has become insanely crooked due to subsidence (it was built on mining land). It is always a novelty to see the marble apparently rolling uphill!
Victoria - 15 Feb 2005 20:26 |
|
