The King's Head.

The original King's Head stood on the top corner of Roushill and Mardol in a building that was demolished for road widening in the 1960s. It was last used by Mr. Richard Bromley a seed merchant and a former mayor of Shrewsbury. This inn was known as the Last but changed to its present name around 1804 when presumably the title was transferred at the time the former inn closed.

The inn is situated in one of the most attractive timber-framed houses in the town. It has been accurately dated to 1404 but has been altered many times during its history. At one time it had two roofs with gable ends and attic windows facing the street. Medieval tiles, thought to come from the Chapel of St. John that stood across the river in Frankwell, were once laid over the oak boards of an upper room. They were removed in the first half of the 20th century though some were saved and laid, as a border in the entrance hall but were lost during later alterations.

During alterations carried out in 1962 workmen discovered several interesting finds including a priest's hole, part of which was being used as a broom cupboard, a bundle of sulphur matches, a scissor shaped candle trimmer and snuffer and several clay pipes. One interesting item was found when part of the lounge wall was removed. It was a letter in excellent condition and dated January 9th 1826. It was addressed to the landlord Mr. F. Griffith and was from a Mr. Ian Fransom of Pool Quay near Welshpool. In clear handwriting he asks the landlord, "Sir will you have the goodness to look at the head of the bed ware I slept. I left my watch thare. If you will have the goodness to take care of it for me and send me word whether it is safe."

For several months during 1987 the inn was completely refurbished by the brewery Mitchells and Butler. During the work an exciting discovery was made as workmen removed brickwork from the front of a ground floor fireplace to expose an older chimneybreast. There they found a wall painting hidden from view for several hundred years. It measures about six feet by six feet and depicts the scenes of the Last Supper and the Annunciation. The figures are well preserved and are thought to date from the late 14th to the early 15th century. Further artwork of a later date was found in a room on the second floor and is made up of two stencilled patterns.

During the 19th century the lower end of Mardol, Roushill and the Quay area was the "Red Light" part of the town and the "ladies of the night" often brought the landlords of the King's Head into conflict with the law. In February 1843 Thomas Downes was charged with "Suffering notorious bad characters to assemble in his house." P.C. Thomas informed the court that after hearing a great commotion at the inn around midnight, he entered and found about a dozen women entertaining around thirty men. The ladies left by the front door only to enter by the rear door after the police had left. When the police retuned an hour later the party was still going on "fast and furious" and several of the women were arrested, taken to court and fined £1 plus 9s-6d costs.

In 1868 landlord James Newton was sent to prison for fourteen days, as he had no money to pay the £1 fine imposed for selling liquor during prohibited hours on a Sunday to five men and a prostitute. As late as July 1892 James Cockcroft was prosecuted for "permitting his licensed premises to be the habitual resort of reputed prostitutes." He was fined ten shillings, which included costs.

The 1900 survey reveals that the inn had six private and three pubic rooms with overnight accommodation for eight people in two bedrooms. Mr. Cockcroft was still the owner and landlord and his customers were described as the labouring class and women.