Liverpool, Georgian Quarter. Established in 1852 as the Ruthin Castle, it was nicknamed Ye Cracke either due to it's small size or because of the narrow alleyway ("crack" is the Liverpudlian word for a small opening) adjacent to the building. By 1892 it was officially known as Ye Cracke. It was originally a small one room pub with a copper topped bar and room for about 10 people (it is still there). After a few years two more rooms were added to the back. One is the main room with a separate bar. The other is called the "War Office", a small snug with one table (the name dates from the Boer War of the 1890s when the room was used to post news and hold discussions about the conflict). There is also a paved beer garden in the rear, one of the few in Central Liverpool.

John Lennon and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe were art students at nearby Liverpool college and would often go to the Cracke after (or instead of?) lectures, and sometimes the War Office was used for tutorials by arts teacher Arthur Ballard. Lennon would drink a Black Velvet, a cocktail made with Guinness and sparkling wine. In 1960 along with Bill Harry and Rod Murray they formed The Dissenters (John Lennon's "other band!") although they never played a note. Another story is that Lennon took his future wife Cynthia here for their first date before heading off to Sutcliffe's flat for an evening of love.

Unfortunately the pub is currently closed, awaited reopening by new owners, so I have no photos of the interior. Luckily I have been there twice before to enjoy this historic little pub.