York Historic Environment Record

Public House. Early C19, with 1883 extension. 1929 remodelling of exterior and interior by Bertram Wilson, in-house architect to brewers John Smith's of Tadcaster. Glazed facing brick and rendered brick, slate roof, brick stack.

The original pub comprised the lower-roofed section on Victor Street, formerly known as St Mary's Row, and had its entrance there. Cromwell Road only assumed its present form after 1878 when the demolition of the old City Gaol released land for widening and redevelopment. The publican of the time was William Flint who, in 1883, employed local architects Benson & Minks to submit plans for a new corner addition to the pub, together with an adjoining new dwelling house (No.2 Cromwell Road). The corner addition was designed to increase the publican's private living space and the pub interior remained largely confined to the original Victor Street elevation. In 1884 The Golden Ball was sold to Benjamin Braime of Braime's Brewery, Tadcaster. A 1902 Chief Constable's report mentioned a smoke room, a vaults, and a large club room at the bottom of the back yard used as a `brass room', a once-popular pub game rather like quoits. In 1902 John Smith's of Tadcaster took over Braime's and so acquired The Golden Ball. In 1929 The Golden Ball was remodelled by Bertram Wilson. This involved enlarging the pub premises by removing the publican's private accommodation in the Cromwell Road corner building to make way for new facilities including off-sales, a new entrance and an extra drinking area (the bar-side `hall' alcove). The old Victor Street entrance was abandoned and the public bar enlarged. The ceilings of both the public bar and smoke room were also heightened.

Information from the NMR
Licensed to sell : the history and heritage of the public house Published in association with CAMRA [Campaign for Real Ale] 2004 Geoff Brandwood ; Andrew P Davison ; Michael Slaughter p.142