8 best historic pubs in London you should see (all located near the biggest tourist attractions in London)
Many moons ago, beer used to be part of each meal and (valued!) source of daily nutrition (good old Middle Ages!).
Beer is one of the oldest drinks humans ever have produced!
Those times might be gone, but pubs are still an important part of the London landscape.
Below you will find a description of 8 great historical pubs in London and perfect places to relax after a busy day in the capital.
Some of these pubs' famous regulars were: William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Charlie Chaplin, Samuel Pepys, and Samuel Johnson!
All the pubs described below are conveniently located close to the biggest London tourist attractions.
Enjoy the read and (potentially) a pint!
“If all be true that I do think,
There are five reasons we should drink;
Good wine- a friend-or being dry-
Or lest we should be by and by-
Or any other reason why.”
(18th century quote of Henry Aldrich)
At the end of this post, you will also find answers to the questions:
What is the difference between an inn, a tavern, and a pub?
How many pubs are there in London?
Why every pub has a sign hanging outside the premises?
8 TOP HISTORICAL PUBS IN LONDON
1. The Blackfriar Pub
The Blackfriar Pub is my favorite pub in London.
Very charming little place with a lot of character.
On the outside of this lovely pub, you can find various figures of tipsy monks.
Did you know that…before Industrial Revolution, the main producers of beer in Europe were monasteries!
And one big sculpture of a monk with a cheeky smile (above the main entrance).
The everywhere-present monk (friar) theme comes from the religious history of this place.
The area around Blackfriars Station used to be a home for Dominican Friar’s - black was the colour of their clothes.
Allegedly this pub was built in the very same location where the famous divorce court hearing of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon took place.
Not happy with the result (and thinking outside the box!) King separated from the Catholic Church and created the Church of England to achieve his freedom.
Seeing the internals of this pub is a must.
You will see a charming cozy design and more lovely figures of monks!
This pub is located near the entrance to the London Blackfriars station, within walking distance to St. Paul’s Cathedral and Millennium Bridge.
Things to see near Blackfriar Pub: 12 iconic things to see in London in less than 2 hours (self-guided London walking tour with a map)
2. The George Inn
Only 5 min walk from London Bridge station, you can find the only galleried coaching inn in London (dated back to 1677!) - The George Inn.
Again, a visit to this pub is a must.
The pub is full of character.
Inside, you can see many tributes to its most famous regular, Charles Dickens.
The George Inn is easy to miss as it is not on the main road but within a small yard off Borough High Street and very near London Bridge and the famous Shard.
Things to see near The George In: 13 (free) things to see near LONDON BRIDGE in less than an hour (self-guided London Bridge walking tour with a map)
3. The Anchor
Anchor Bankside is a pub with river views, located on the south side of the Southwark Bridge.
The red windows and doors of the pub are making it very easy to find on the stroll along the Thames.
Since the 17th century, there was always a pub in this place (the current building dates back to the 19th century).
The regulars here included William Shakespeare and Samuel Pepys.
Samuel Pepys was a famous London diarist who lived through a very turbulent (for London) 17th century. He was famous for describing in great detail the Great Fire of London.
You can find his recollection of the tragic event here (search for the 2nd of September - the day when the fire started).
Pepys watched the Great Fire of London from this location. He was seeping the beer watching the ongoing devastation of the City on the other side of the river.
Not much else was left to do as organized Fire Brigade wasn't invented until the 19th century!
For Shakespeare, this pub was simply on the way to his work place - the famous Globe Theater was located very near this location.
The pub has an outside garden.
I strongly recommend you to have a look inside as well.
Things to see inside the pub: small rooftop area, the paper model of Shakespeare Theater, and the Shakespeare Room.
The pub also offers a great view of St Paul's Cathedral!
The Anchor Pub is located on the site of both a Roman grave and a plague pit!
Its name was given to it by the owner of the pub’s brewery, Josiah Childs - he had a close affiliation with the navy.
You can find this pub near London Bridge, the Shard and not far from Globe Theater.
4. Trafalgar Tavern
The fourth pub I would like to recommend is Trafalgar Tavern.
You can find this pub in Greenwich, very near Old Royal Naval College.
The name of this place (and its interior design) is a tribute to a navy hero, Admiral Nelson. It relates to his famous battle at Trafalgar.
47-year-old Nelson won this battle, but he was hit by a musket ball and died on 21 October 1805. For conservation reasons, his body was placed in a cask of brandy!
In Greenwich (in a Painted Hall of Old Royal Naval College), his body lay in state before his burial at the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral.
In the nearby National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, you can see (for free) Nelson’s jacket with a whole after the bullet.
Outside the pub, you can see his one-handed statue (he was injured during his earlier battle).
On the small plaque next to his feet, you can see a quote:
“Time is everything… five minutes make the difference between Victory or Defeat.”
Words once said by Nelson.
Trafalgar Tavern also offers great views of the Thames and Canary Wharf.
The inside of the pub is simply fascinating, with a collection of period artifacts. A visit there is a great treat for anyone who likes ships and history.
Things to see near Trafalgar Tavern: 14 (cool & FREE) things to see in GREENWICH in less than 2 hours (self-guided Greenwich walk with a map)
5. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub
There are many confusing debates about which pub is the oldest in London.
I would not claim that I know the answer to this question.
But what I do know is that if you are searching for a place with a character and charm, you need to see Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub.
A pub near Fleet Street, located only a few minutes walk from the famous St Paul's Cathedral and hidden in a small street called Wine Office Ct.
The pub cellars belonged to the 13th-century monastery, which occupied the location before the establishment turned into a pub (in 1538!).
Severely destroyed during the Great Fire of London was rebuilt in 1667.
The date is today prominently displayed above the entrance.
Along with a long list of monarchs. The kings and queens, reigning during the pub's (long!) existence. 16 of them!
“The list of monarchs” sign outside The Ye Olde Chesire Cheese pub (2022). Photography: Zuzanna/WalkMeBlog
Inside, you can find a few separate rooms with bars serving various parts of the cozy pub and a few fireplaces (active in the winter!), giving the visitor the real taste of what it was like to drink the beer in this place all those centuries ago.
Because of the pub's location (Fleet St was a hot spot for newspapers in the late 19th century), writers and journalists were the regulars here. Charles Dickens and Mark Twain were among them.
Another prominent figure of this place, living inside the pub for 40 years, was the parrot called Polly.
Polly was known for the range of vocabulary she could use (mainly offensive words). She was serving inappropriate comments to the guests, regardless of their status. She picked up the skills most likely from the soldiers from WWI frequently visiting the place.
One of her famous fans was Charlie Chaplin. He allegedly had a meal at this place in the bird's presence.
Polly's death was big global news in 1926. Around 200 newspapers (!!!) around the world printed the sad information.
Today, you can still see Polly in the pub - stuffed and on display in one of the rooms inside.
Great place with a great stories!
6. Dickens Inn
Dickens Inn (by some called "the most atmospheric watering hole in the whole of London”) is a multileveled pub (and restaurant) with several charming balconies decorated with colorful flowers throughout the year.
You can find it in the beautiful setting of St Katharine Docks Marina.
Only 5 min walk from the iconic Tower Bridge!
Although the building goes back to the 18th century, it has been serving as a pub in its current shape only for the last 50 years (in the more distant past, it was used as a tea and brewery warehouse).
It was opened to the public in May 1976 by the grandson of Charles Dickens, Cedric Charles Dickens!
Charles Dickens was fond of this part of London, and many of his characters and scenes are linked with the area.
The Dickens Inn Pub is the perfect place for a break while exploring the Tower Bridge area.
7. Horse & Guardsman
Horse & Guardsman is a multileveled pub located on the Whitehall, not far from Trafalgar Square.
Its name and location (nearby Horse Guards Parade ground, Cavalry Museum, and mounted Kings Guards) will give you a hint of what this pub theme is about.
Perhaps not very eye-catching from the outside, is definitely worth a visit. Inside you will be welcomed by a charming, atmospheric design, a beautiful painting of a scene from the Batlle of Waterloo…
…plenty of artifacts connected to the King’s Guards…
…and a collection of photos, some of them of the young Queen Elizabeth II riding a horse in ceremonial clothing.
Horse & Guardsman is a must-see London pub if you are anywhere near Trafalgar Square.
8. Prospect of Whitby
The pub Prospect of Whitby (formerly known as a Devil’s Tavern!) is the oldest riverside inn in London and a fine example of a pub.
It is located in Wapping.
In practice, it is only around a 25-30 min walk from the iconic Tower Bridge.
In the heydays of sea trade, Wapping was home mainly for people associated with maritime activities: sailors, boat builders…or pirates!
And some of the sinister clientele of this tavern was… executed near Prospect of Whitby, at Execution Dock!
To this day, at low tide, on a shore outside of this pub, you can see gallows!
The pub is multileveled.
The floor of this pub is 400 years old. The rest of the pub was rebuilt after a damaging fire in the 19th century.
From the pub terraces, you can see an interesting panorama of Canary Wharf.
To learn more about this fantastic London pub, check out my other post: Why Prospect of Whitby is the best pub in London for Halloween?
Prospect of Whitby pub closes the list of my 8 top historical pubs in central London.
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Below you can find a few interesting facts about the pubs.
What is the difference between an inn, a tavern, and a pub?
In the past, inns served the role of a bar, a hotel, and a garage (read stables) in one place.
Traveling people could stop there for a drink and meal, get the bed for a night, stable their HORSES and feed them!
The taverns had on the offer mainly food and drinks.
In the 19th century, taverns went out of fashion and were replaced by pubs (also called public houses).
The times and the people had changed. And all of these names are being loosely used for various types of premises now, all offering similar things.
How many pubs are there in London?
The number of pubs in London is constantly changing, and it is hard to pin down the exact number of these popular establishments.
The last estimation for London showed around 40 pubs per 100,000 people (in 2019), which gives the number of 3600 pubs.
The good news is that the number of pubs in London was actually on the rise just before the pandemic. And hopefully, this trend will continue for the years to come.
Before I introduce you to my 5 TOP historical pubs in London, let see…
Why every pub has a sign hanging outside the premises?
The (often very decorative) signs hanging outside the pubs are a common feature for these iconic places of community gatherings.
The law forcing their presence goes back to the 14th century. The signs were helping the ALE TASTERS (inspectors checking the quality of the drink) to identify which building to enter for the inspection*.
* the very respectable job once carried out by Shakespeare’s father!
At first, the signage did not include any letters, just symbols as the signs (apart from serving the ale inspectors) were a way to inform the mostly illiterate public where to find a drink or meal.
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