Fountain Inn

The Fountain Inn is a historic public house in the village of Ashurst, in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. The building dates from the 16th century and was originally a timber-framed, partly tile-hung farmhouse opposite the village pond. It became an inn under the sign of the Red Lion by 1788 and adopted the name Fountain Inn soon afterwards. In the early 19th century it was extended with a brick wing on the north side and given a Georgian façade, elements of which survive today. The pub was listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 9 May 1980, recognising its architectural and historical importance. It is currently operated by the regional brewer and pub company Hall & Woodhouse. The Fountain Inn is noted for its traditional character, with a smaller bar featuring a large inglenook fireplace and a larger bar to the rear. It also has a place in popular culture: in 1979 it was used to film the promotional video for Paul McCartney's Christmas song "Wonderful Christmastime" with his band Wings. The pub continues to serve as a village local and destination for visitors to the area.

The Fountain Inn is a 16th-century public house in the village of Ashurst, in the Horsham district of West Sussex, England. Ashurst is a small village and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) north of the town of Steyning. The parish covers a large area (2,494 acres (1,009 ha)) and consists mostly of well-spaced farms and other scattered buildings, but a small settlement had developed around the Horsham—Steyning road by the early 16th century. Many of the present buildings are 16th-century, although in some cases they replaced older buildings. Development spread along the road in the 17th century. The first inn in the parish was to the south of the main settlement, near Horsebridge Common. It existed by the 17th century and over time was known by at least three names, the last of which was The Fountain. The building occupied by the present inn of that name was one of several timber-framed, partly tile-hung farmhouses in the centre of the village, opposite the village pond. It became an inn under the sign of the Red Lion by 1788, and adopted the name Fountain Inn soon afterwards. In the early 19th century, the building was extended: an extra wing was added on the north side, perpendicular to the original structure, in brick. In contrast to the tiled roof of the older part, the newer wing had a roof of slate. At the same time, the façade was altered from its original timber-framed appearance: the Georgian style, popular at the time, was adopted. Author Hilaire Belloc, who wrote extensively about Sussex in his fiction and non-fiction works, mentioned the Fountain Inn in his novel The Four Men: a Farrago; he wrote approvingly about the beer. The Fountain Inn was listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 9 May 1980; this defines it as a "nationally important" building of "special interest". Architecturally, the façade of the newer (north and west) part of the Fountain Inn, facing the road, was clad in painted cement during the 19th-century alterations. It has a range of two evenly spaced sash windows, a hipped roof of tiles, a steep-roofed entrance porch and two gable-end chimneys. The wing to the north is of brick with a slate-covered roof and sash windows. Both parts of the building have two storeys. Inside, there is a smaller bar with a large inglenook, and a larger bar to the rear. In popular culture, in 1979, the pub was used to film the promotional video for the Paul McCartney Christmas song "Wonderful Christmastime" with his band Wings. The Fountain Inn is currently operated by Hall & Woodhouse, a regional brewer and pub company based in Dorset, England. The pub continues to serve as a village local and a destination for visitors interested in its history and traditional atmosphere.

• 1980

  Listed at Grade II by English Heritage on 9 May 1980.

• 1979

  Used to film the promotional video for Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" with Wings.

• 1800

  Extended with a brick wing and given a Georgian façade in the early 19th century.

• 1788

  Building became an inn under the sign of the Red Lion.

A historic village pub with traditional character, serving local ales and food in a Grade II listed building.

• Cask ales

• Pub food

• Traditional pub drinks

1. 1Fountain Inn, Ashurst - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Fountain Inn - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Hall & Woodhouse pub pagehall-woodhouse.co.uk