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Historic Pubs of London
For more special features see the Articles Index. For historic places to stay see the main London Hotels section.
The Anchor.
Southwark SE1 9EF
Southwark SE1 9EF
Samuel Pepys made for “a little alehouse on Bankside” during the Great Fire of London in 1666. This was it - although admittedly much of it was rebuilt around a decade after.
The Bull & Bush
Golders Green, North Hampstead. NW3 7HE
Golders Green, North Hampstead. NW3 7HE
William Hogarth is known to have visited this famous old inn. Indeed, evidence suggests he drank here while working on his well-known piece The Rake’s Progress.
The Dove
19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith W6 9TA
19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith W6 9TA
Legend has it that Charles II used The Dove to meet with his mistress, Nell Gwynne. It’s also said that Rule Britannia! was written in the bar.
The Fitzroy Tavern
Fitzrovia, W1T 2NA
Fitzrovia, W1T 2NA
Popular with the Bloomsbury Set, Dylan Thomas was a regular, and it’s also said that Virginia Woolf partook of a tipple or two
The Gatehouse
North Road, Highgate. N6 4BD
North Road, Highgate. N6 4BD
Some say there was an inn on the site as far back as the early 1300‘s. The present building, however, is purported to have been frequented by Lord Byron and Charles Dickens.
The George
Borough High Street, Southwark. SE1 1NH
Borough High Street, Southwark. SE1 1NH
London’s last remaining galleried coaching inn and popular with Charles Dickens (mention of the building is said to have been made in Little Dorrit). The property is owned by the National Trust.
The Grapes
Limehouse. E14 8BP
Limehouse. E14 8BP
Some say that Charles Dickens based the ‘Six Jolly Fellowship Porters’ pub in Our Mutual Friend on this very inn. Indeed, the man himself would almost certainly recognise it today.
The Gun
Coldharbour, Docklands. E14 9NS
Coldharbour, Docklands. E14 9NS
Over 200 years old, it was rumoured that The Gun was at one time a secret meeting place for Lord Nelson and Lady Emma Hamilton.
The Mayflower
Rotherhithe. SE16 4NF
Rotherhithe. SE16 4NF
Once known as “The Shippe”, it is said that the captain of The Mayflower was here when he received orders to carry the Pilgrim Fathers to America (the vessel set sail from a nearby quay). Indeed, at one time the inn itself contained timbers from the ship.
The Museum Tavern
Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. WC1B 3BA
Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. WC1B 3BA
Karl Marx was a notable former customer, as indeed was the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
Fleet Street, EC4A 2BU
Fleet Street, EC4A 2BU
Few inns can claim to have been so popular with literary types as Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Dr Johnson, William Makepeace Thackeray, G K Chesterton, Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle all frequented the famous tavern. Charles Dickens even uses its name in a Tale of Two Cities.
The Prospect of Whitby
Wapping Wall, E1W 3SH
Wapping Wall, E1W 3SH
Dating back to the early sixteenth century, this old inn was formerly known as the Devils Tavern and once popular with less savoury characters. Famous past regulars include Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens, Judge Jeffreys (who lived nearby), and it is even suggested that Captain William Bligh and Fletcher Christian drank here in 1787 before their ill-
The Spaniards Inn
Hampstead Heath, NW3 7JJ.
Hampstead Heath, NW3 7JJ.
Probably the most infamous highwayman of all, Dick Turpin, is said to have used the inn as hide-out. Moreover, it is believed that his father may have been the landlord during the early 1700‘s and that the notorious outlaw might have even been born here.
The Ten Bells
Commercial Street.Whitechapel. E1 6LY
Commercial Street.Whitechapel. E1 6LY
Did Jack The Ripper frequent this old inn? Quite probably -
The Town of Ramsgate
Wapping High Street. E1W 2PN
Wapping High Street. E1W 2PN
Undoubtedly one of the oldest pubs in the whole of London, his 16th century inn has a couple of historic claims-to-fame. First, legend has it that Captain William Bligh and Fletcher Christian drank here before sailing on HMS Bounty, and, second, that the infamous Judge Jeffries was arrested in the property as he attempted to flee the country.
The White Hart
Drury Lane, Holborn. WC2B 5QD
Drury Lane, Holborn. WC2B 5QD
This is possibly the oldest licensed premises in London (1216) although the existing building is, of course, not of such incredible age. That said, it was reputedly here that Dick Turpin drank, much as one or two other ne’r-
Are you aware of any historic old inns in London? If so, please get in touch by email and let us know. Please note, however, that Nights In The Past is primarily concerned with hotels and other places to stay throughout Britain and Western Europe, so we would also appreciate any suggestions for other sections of the site. Anyone seeking heritage accommodation in London should click here for our listings which features property from several periods including the Georgian. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the site and check back soon.
Copyright. Nights In The Past 2007 -
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
The Prospect of Whitby
The George, Southwark
