Crawley Old Town: SEVENTEEN PICTURES: The Old Punch Bowl

The Old Punch Bowl is a medieval timber-framed Wealden hall-house on the High Street. Built in the early 15th century, it was used as a farmhouse by about 1600. Since 1929 it has been in commercial use—firstly as a tearoom, then as a bank, and since 1994 as a public house. When built, it was one of at least five similar hall-houses in the ancient parish of Crawley; it is now one of the oldest and best-preserved buildings in Crawley town centre.

The present building is known to date from the early to mid-15th century.Its original layout is believed to have consisted of four bays under a single roof of straw, with the centre bays laid out as an open hall and the outer pair each having a staircase leading to first-floor level. The upper floor was jettied, giving an overhanging appearance. A timber skeleton would have been surrounded by walls of wattle and daub containing plenty of clay, which is the main component of the soil in the Crawley area. All of these characteristics were typical of "Wealden" houses—a mediaeval style whose name reflects their prevalence in the Weald, the area of southeast England in which Crawley is situated. A fifth bay, with a crown post roof, was added at the north end in the early 16th century.

By 1600, several barns and similar buildings—all with thatched roofs—surrounded it, and the property had become a farm called Bristows Meads. By the early 19th century the property had become known as Mitchells Farm, superseding its previous name. In the late 19th century, the building was divided into two houses, and was sometimes described as "The Old Houses" in commercial postcards. One of these houses was opened up to form a shop by its tenants.

The condition of the main building deteriorated in the early 20th century as it passed through more owners. In 1929 the main building was converted back into a single entity and saw a wide-ranging restoration which brought much of the old timber-framing into view again. Urgent structural repairs were carried out as well. Later in 1929 an application was made to change its function from residential to commercial use. Significant work was undertaken to alter the building and its surroundings to create a tearoom with a rural ambience. The interior was opened out, a single entrance door was created, the old barns and outbuildings were either removed or integrated with the main building, and 0.5 acres (0.2 ha) of ornamental gardens were planted. The large chimney breast which now dominates the north face of the building was also added as part of these alterations, which took place in 1930. During that year, it reopened as "Ye Olde Punch Bowle" tearoom.

It was sold for £2,500 in 1952 to National Provincial Bank, who refurbished it and converted it into a bank branch. The alterations were sympathetic to the building's style: wood from an ancient demolished church at Treyford near Midhurst was used for internal fittings, and the entrance doorway and an extension at the rear were built of local stone. The extension, a large single-storey office, was built in 1963 and looked out over the remaining section of what used to be the tearoom's gardens and ponds.

In the early 90's, the building was converted into a public house and had the name "The Old Punch Bowl" reinstated . Internal and external alterations were made, including the removal of the bank's stone-built extension; this was replaced by outside seating and a patio area.

The Old Punch Bowl was listed at Grade II* by English Heritage on 21 June 1948; this defines it as a "particularly important building of more than special interest" and of national importance.