The Crown Liquor Saloon on Great Victoria Street is one of the best-preserved Victorian pub interiors in the United Kingdom. It was refurbished in 1885, and the combination of glass, gilded woodwork, tiling and ten private snugs makes it a good place to see decorative glass used in a commercial setting.
The glass
Etched and painted glass fills the porch windows, and gilded glass fascias and stained glazing continue the scheme inside. The tiling, woodwork and glass are traditionally credited to Italian craftsmen brought in by the owner at the time. The building is Grade A listed and has been owned by the National Trust since 1978.
Glass of this kind, using acid etched panels, brilliant cut ornament and painted decoration, was produced for hundreds of pubs in the 1880s and 1890s, and very few interiors survive in this condition. The same techniques are still used for decorative glass for pubs, shops and restaurants.
| Place | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Great Victoria Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Type | Pub |
| Period | Victorian, about 1885 |
| Glass artists | Not recorded |
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Related pages
- Stained glass tour of the UK
- Decorative glass for pubs, shops and restaurants
- Acid etched glass
- The history of acid etched glass
- The Philharmonic Dining Rooms, Liverpool
- Café Royal, Edinburgh
- Commission decorative glass
Published 4 November 2026