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Acquired by Fuller's from M&B in February 2009, a 17th century pub listed on CAMRA's Regional inventory of historic pub interiors, originally two buildings now forming one pub, it was also known as the Upper Flask, the Lower Flask being the pub in Hampstead. There are legends of ghosts and Dick Turpin is said to have hidden in the cellars. More plausibly, the 18th century painter, engraver and satirist William Hogarth, and revolutionary thinker and philosopher Karl Marx are said to have been regulars. The Flask is one of the area pubs where the ceremony of the 'Swearing of the Horns' takes place. Large asphalted front yard and garden which incorporates a covered area too. 5 handpumps on the main bar counter and 1 on a smaller one by the entrance door. Underground: Archway or Highgate. Buses: 143 & 210 pass by, 263 terminates in Highgate Village nearby.
Historic Interest
Grade II listing:- Public house. Possibly early C18, partially rebuilt c1767 by William Carpenter and with various later alterations and additions. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys and cellars with 5 windows. Building to left, 2 storeys 2 windows and double hipped roof. Brick refacing with red brick bands between recessed sashes with gauged red brick flat arches. Ground floor with C20 wooden porch. Parapet. 2 storey building has multi-colour brick ground floor and stucco 1st floor. Wooden shopfront of 3 reeded pilasters, frieze and cornice above which is an oval tablet inscribed "WC 1767". Right hand forward return of former stabling is formed by the rear of Nos 23 to 25 South Grove (qv). INTERIOR: upper bar in later building to left remodelled late C20. Lower bars in original building, named the Snug and Committee Room by early 1995, with 1930s matchboard panelling and fireplaces; these spaces divided by central bar enclosed by sliding sashes with glazing bars, perhaps a mixture of late C18 and 1930s work. Behind it a dog-leg stair with turned balusters on a closed string, c1700, with some panelling. Upper floors not inspected. HISTORICAL NOTE: during the early C18 the Manorial Court was held here. (Survey of London: Vol. XVII, The Village of Highgate (Parish of St Pancras part I): London: -1936: 111-113; VCH: Middlesex : 6: London: 138).
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: II
Two buildings now forming one pub in an attractive leafy part of smart Highgate. The original, possibly early 18th-century, three-storey section (partly rebuilt about 1767) has a plaque noting an earlier incarnation, ‘The Flask 1663’. In this part there are two old rooms with a servery between them. This has sets of impressive, well preserved glazed sash windows while the shelving and panelling inside seem of real age (possibly mid-19th-century if not earlier). The public can now walk between the two areas but originally they were separate as the surviving woodwork suggests. There was an extensive makeover in the 1930s from which time we have the plain counter front, spittoon trough, panelling and (now door-less) telephone booth. There are two typical 1930s fire surrounds with thin brickwork. The pub has expanded considerably to the left and rear and the atmosphere here is quite modern.
This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 3 regular beers.
Flask, Highgate
Changing beers typically include: Butcombe - Adam Henson's Rare Breed , Fuller's (seasonal) , Wimbledon (varies)
Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals
Garden
Family Friendly
Parking
Dog Friendly
Games
Newspapers
Real Fire
Smoking
Wi Fi
Real Ale
Real Heritage Pub
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