But on Tuesday night around 7pm, 100 years of history went up in smoke as the Royal Hotel caught fire and burned.

An English backpacker working in the bar area managed to escape the flames with the Cudal Rural Fire Service responding from their headquarters nearby in the main street.

However the intensity of the flames saw the corrugated iron roof completely collapse as the shocked leasee and residents of the village looked on from across the street.

"We've only been here from Newcastle for three weeks, so thankfully we didn't have a lot with us - but we managed to get out what we owned," said leasee Renee Johnson.

She said she was disappointed at not having the opportunity to make the business a success.

"We were going to try a few new things," she said.

Standing beside her on Wednesday at the ruins of the pub was former leasee Kristy Lee Weaver, who operated the premises for the previous three years.

"This pub was built in 1914 and it was only last October we were celebrating 100 years," she said.

"I'm still shaking - I just can't believe what has happened," Ms Weaver said.

Captain of the Cudal Rural Fire Brigade David Farrell said the RFS responded quickly after being alerted to the fire.

"I reckon we were here in a couple of minutes - but it had taken hold," he said.

A police officer was posted on duty throughout the day while the Rural Fire Service carried out mopping operations.

Inspector Bruce Grassick of Orange Police said forensic investigators from NSW Police, as well as fire investigators from the Rural Fire Service, were at the scene of the fire on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Cabonne Council said environment officers visited the site of the fire to asses the situation.

"Our priority is to ensure public safety, check for the presence of friable asbestos and enable authorities to conduct their investigations," the spokesman said.

The fire is believed to have broken out in the kitchen of the pub.

janice.harris@fairfaxmedia.com.au

WEDNESDAY, 7AM:

A FIRE ripped through the Royal Hotel in Cudal at about 7pm on Tuesday, destroying large parts of the building.

At this stage the cause of the fire, which forced the roof of the building to collapse, is unknown.

No neighbouring Main Street properties were damaged.

Fire brigades from Cudal, Manildra, Toogong, Cheesemans Creek, Bowan Park, North West and Molong NSW Fire and Rescue fought to control the blaze.