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Fringe theatre upstairs. True crime downstairs. Sheep theft somewhere along the way.

In this episode, we head to Islington — the London borough that clearly never got the memo about moderation. First stop: The Old Red Lion, a pub-turned-fringe-theatre-turned-launchpad for BAFTA and Olivier winners. Also: the site of 16th-century sword fights, pint glass capers, and at least one suspiciously emotional fashion criminal.

Then it’s a short walk (and a long fall from grace) to The Castle, where in 2015, a group of retirees planned the Hatton Garden heist over beers and crisps.

It’s the kind of episode that makes you think, “You can’t make this stuff up”.

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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Kennington. There’s nothing beige about pub history in this part of London. Today we kick back the saloon doors of Kennington, where pubs aren’t just buildings, they’re characters with backstories, secrets, and a scattering of taxidermy. 

We’ll stumble through boozers that once stared straight at Bedlam, meet a pub magician who almost flambéed a flock of pigeons, and uncover how Charlie Chaplin’s dad made pubs his stage and possibly inspired Chaplin’s signature little tramp walk.

Expect Tudor urinals, circus origins, and a pub fight scene fit for Hollywood. It’s London history—unfiltered, slightly unhinged, and best served with a running commentary.

Cheers to the weird, the wobbly, and the wonderfully baronial.  

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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Get the essence of Episode 49 in under 8 minutes! 

Chelsea Pub Crawl – Bohemians to Billionaires. Groovy!

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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We’re back in the East End of London, kicking off a multi-episode visit to multi-cultural Hackney. 

We kick things off with a crash course in Hackney’s rebellious roots, from Roman roads to Quakers, Huguenots, and anarchists with a flair for protest. If London has a punk Borough, this is it. Johnny Rotten and Sid Vicious of The Sex Pistols met here at Hackney Technical College. 

Then we hit the pubs for our Hackney Pub Crawl. 

First stop: The Kenton - a pub with a moose head, Scandi vibes, and a backstory featuring beer-slinging legend Ben Kenton (no, he wasn’t a knight, but he should have been).

Next: The Chesham Arms, a cornerstone of activism in Hackney. A pub so beloved that locals straight-up fought off developers like it was an episode of EastEnders meets Gladiator. Spoiler alert: the pub won.

Then: The Cock Tavern, where you can find pickled egg royalty, beard-friendly vibes, and the birthplace of Howling Hops microbrewery. Oh, and don’t forget those CAMRA awards.

We close at The Dolphin, the late-night legend that danced too close to the flame. Once a karaoke-fueled chaos magnet, now a chill spot with a Grade II listing and a slightly less wild crowd.

Show Map

https://historiclondonpubcast.com/show-map/

References

• Wikipedia

Hackney

• Radical History:  https://hackneyhistory.wordpress.com/timeline/
• craftbeernomads Hackney Craft Beer Article: https://craftbeernomads.com/craft-beer-in-hackney-london-england/

The Kenton

• https://camra.org.uk/pubs/kenton-homerton-156200
• https://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2019/05/29/My-Pub-the-Kenton-Hackney-east-London/
• https://abetterbeerblog427.com/2018/06/17/who-was-ben-kenton-and-how-good-was-his-porter/
• https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs//Hackney/KentonArms.shtml

The Chesham Arms

• https://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2013/04/06/chesham-arms-pub-community-asset/
• https://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2018/03/27/chesham-arms-hackney-pub-heritage-status/
• https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/25305026.telegraph-names-ten-london-pubs-among-best-england/
• https://camra.org.uk/pubs/chesham-arms-homerton-156176
• https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/25098/

The Cock Tavern

• https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/Hackney/Cock.shtml
• https://camra.org.uk/pubs/cock-tavern-hackney-156035
• https://www.hackneycitiz

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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This special Remembrance Sunday episode of The Historic London Pubcast takes us into the lesser-known wartime history of British pubs. From the cellars of London to the beaches of Normandy, discover how these beloved local landmarks became unlikely heroes during World War II.

We revisit The Black Horse in Marylebone, where D-Day plans were floated over pints, and tell the Spitfire beer story that led to the legendary Flying Drays - aircraft ferrying beer to troops during the Normandy beer run. 

We hear how the Wenlock Brewery became a lifesaving shelter, and how pilots like Robert Stanford Tuck and Douglas Bader made The Chesterfield Arms/The Shepherd’s Arms in Mayfair their wartime HQ.

We also honor lost pubs - The Hare and Hounds in Hampstead and The White Horse Hotel in East Ham - and explore the enduring symbolism of pubs like The Douglas Bader Pub in Ipswich. With research drawn from Martin Cornell’s Strange Tales of Ale, this episode pays tribute to the resilience, spirit, and community found in pubs across the UK.

Whether you're a history buff, pub lover, or planning a walking tour of London, this is one episode you won’t want to miss.

Cover Image Source

https://www.spitfires.com/post/ale-delivery-spitfires

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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An unforgettable journey through Chelsea – from Bohemians to Billionaires! 

Discover how this exclusive London neighborhood transformed from a riverside "Village of Palaces" into the ultimate bohemian quarter, then morphed into one of the world's poshest postcodes. 

We're pub crawling through four historic Chelsea establishments representative of Chelsea’s eclectic historical journey. 

The Pig's Ear with its Cockney rhyming slang heritage. 

The Cross Keys. Chelsea's oldest pub and scene of an unsolved 1920s murder and where Agatha Christie once drank. 

The Phene. Favorite local of football legend George Best. 

The Chelsea Potter on the iconic King's Road where Jimi Hendrix hung out. 

Along the way, we'll explore the artistic legacy of Oscar Wilde, J.M.W. Turner, and the Pre-Raphaelites on Cheyne Walk, discover how Mary Quant invented the mini skirt and Vivienne Westwood sold punk to the world, meet the Sloane Rangers who made Chelsea synonymous with posh living, and uncover why this neighborhood became the playground of rock stars, aristocrats, and billionaires. 

Whether you're fascinated by London pub history, celebrity haunts, true crime, or the cultural revolution that turned a royal escape route into Swinging London's beating heart, this episode serves up art, influence, and intrigue in one nicely wrapped package – groovy, baby!

Show Map

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1xXDGJSfJIUy2gw_6uCASi-C45FpOg_M&usp=sharing

References

• Ted Bruning  -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) and London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
• Wikipedia
• https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com/  by Ann Laffeaty 

The Pig’s Ear

https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/pigs-ear.html

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d26855684-Reviews-The_Pig_s_Ear-London_England.html

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs//Chelsea/BlackLion.shtml

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/pigs-ear-chelsea-128740

https://www.pigsearpub.com/

The Cross Keys

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs///Chelsea/CrossKeys.shtml

https://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=931

https://pubnames.co.uk/index.php

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/cross-keys-chelsea-129021

https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/54757/

The Phene

https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/time-called-on-george-bests-local-7266815.html

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/phene-chelsea-128697

http://www.phenecricket.com/news/phenearms.html

Chelsea Potter

https://bispm.co.uk/bio.php?id=509

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

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Join us on a pub walk London won’t let you forget. In this episode of The Historic London Pubcast, we take a leisurely but legendary London pub crawl from the iconic Battersea Power Station through the historic backstreets of Wandsworth, exploring the city's Victorian pubs, quirky local legends, and centuries of London beer history.

Our pub tour kicks off at the Grade II-listed Battersea Power Station — a marvel of London industrial heritage now home to high-end shops (and a beautifully theatrical Marks & Spencer Simply Food). Along the way, we relive the bizarre tale of the Pink Floyd Battersea pig balloon that made Heathrow air traffic control sweat.

Next, we raise a glass at the Prince Albert pub Battersea, salute the ever-evolving Woodpecker pub (jazz lounge, Creole kitchen, and now live music haven), and visit The Woodman, saved by 4,000 loyal locals. This walking tour London detours to riverside gems like The Waterfront and The Ship, each boasting a different take on pub architecture and atmosphere.

In Wandsworth, the history gets deeper (and boozier). Discover the roots and revival of Ram Brewery Wandsworth, where 500 years of brewing tradition meet craft beer comebacks. Sip in style at the Spread Eagle pub Wandsworth, dripping in stained glass and Victorian glam, and finish at The Cat’s Back pub, a charming relic with one very elusive feline.

This episode is a must-listen for fans of:

• London travel guide inspiration
• Hidden London history
• Quirky London pubs
• Off the beaten path London
• And of course, anyone planning the ultimate London pub tour

Whether you’re into London podcast adventures, love a good history podcast UK style, or just want solid UK travel ideas, we’ve got your pint poured and your path mapped.

Cheers, and mind the pink pigs.

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Show Map: 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1xXDGJSfJIUy2gw_6uCASi-C45FpOg_M&usp=sharing

References:

• Ted Bruning  -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) 
• Wikipedia

Battersea, Prince Albert, Woodpecker, Woodman

https://batterseapowerstation.co.uk/about/heritage-history/

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs///BatterseaEast/PrinceAlbert.shtm

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/prince-albert-battersea-140365

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/BatterseaNorthWest/HighStreet42.shtml

https://www.closedpubs.co.uk/london/sw11_battersea_originalwoodman.html

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/woodpecker-battersea-140315

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/woodman-battersea-140457

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/BatterseaNorthWest/HighStreet42.shtml

Ship & The Waterfront

London’s Riverside Pubs by Time Hampson  ISBN  978-1–5048-0021-1

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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Looking for a day trip from Central London? We're going to leafy Barnes, SW London for a leisurely Thames riverside pub crawl. Barnes river pubs and the best Thames River pubs? Yes please! 

Hidden spots loved by locals, London travel tips for visiting the best historic London pubs, haunted London pubs and ghost stories, glam rock and royal drama. 

The Brown Dog - once known as The Rose of Denmark, a royal backstory of Queen Alexandra fashionable Queen Consort, and a new lease on life to the pub thanks to investors. 

The Bulls Head - Jazz history and glam rock in a Grade II Listed building. Manages to be classy and play televised sports simultaneously. Don't miss the Marc Bolan shrine. 

The Sun Inn - 300 years of history in a Grade II Listed building, Georgian vibes and possibly some ghosts. 

The Red Lion - Duels, legendary sausage rolls, and Jimi Hendrix may or may not have scribbled “Purple Haze” on a bar napkin. 

Also plague, smallpox, a failed IRA bombing, the Father of Football, a ghost pond, the importance of Olympic Studios, Barnes to the history of 20th Century music, and Samuel Pepys pops up to cover a Barnes duel.

The Historic London Pubcast. Part history podcast for the London pub history, and part travel podcast for the lovely, fact filled London walking tours. It’s OK if you consider them London historic pub crawls. Either way you’ll be entertained on your London travels.

Map: 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1xXDGJSfJIUy2gw_6uCASi-C45FpOg_M&usp=sharing

References: 

Wikipedia

https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/Barnes/index.shtml

https://www.standard.co.uk/going-out/restaurants/brown-dog-barnes-new-investor-b1112280.html

https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/24432/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d2001362-r148429950-The_Brown_Dog-London_England.html

https://wikimd.com/wiki/Sun_Inn,_Barnes

https://hauntedhostelries.uk/london/richmond-upon-thames/the-sun-inn/

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/sun-inn-barnes-121693

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d2256111-Reviews-The_Sun_Inn-London_England.html

https://www.beer-pages.com/stories/red-lion-barnes.html

https://thelondonpress.uk/2022/04/09/i-went-to-all-24-pubs-in-london-called-the-red-lion-and-only-one-of-them-stood-out-against-the-rest-dan-wiggins/

https://camra.org.uk/pubs/red-lion-barnes-121692

https://londonist.com/london/drink/red-lion

https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/24431/

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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Step into the frothy heart of historic London pubs on a riverside ramble through Mortlake pubs. Pubs along the Thames River are some of the most popular in London and today we’re featuring some of the best London pubs to visit and a few of the best riverside pubs in London. 

For this episode’s London pub walk, we kick off at The Jolly Gardeners Mortlake, steeped in the area’s market gardening past and tied to rowing pioneer Amy Gentry, OBE. Next, we raise a pint at The Ship Mortlake, a riverside classic perched on the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race finish line - once a hotspot for rowdy Victorian regatta wagers.

As we stroll the Thames Path, we dive into Mortlake history through the rise and fall of Mortlake Brewery—from medieval monks to the Budweiser years and the fierce local debates over its controversial redevelopment. We even make a detour to the eerie yet fascinating Richard Francis Burton grave - a tent-shaped tomb tucked behind a Gothic church.

Finally, we arrive at The White Hart Barnes - a 17th-century stunner once home to Masonic secrets, famous neighbors like Gustav Holst and Queen’s Brian May, and what just might be London’s best riverside pub.

Whether you're into British pub culture, love a scenic Thames River walk, or you're planning the ultimate London pub tour or Thames pub walk, this episode is your go-to pint-sized guide. Packed with Mortlake history, London travel tips, hidden gems, and plenty of pub banter that you will not find in your London travel guide, it’s history brewed to perfection on this London pub podcast.

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Google map with pubs covered in previous episodes pinned, courtesy of Andy Meddick:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1xXDGJSfJIUy2gw_6uCASi-C45FpOg_M&usp=sharing

Or TinyURL:  https://tinyurl.com/4xhc8w2s

The following resources are referenced or quoted frequently in these episodes:

• https://camra.org.uk/
• https://pubwiki.co.uk
• Wikipedia

Additionally, the  following resource(s) were used / quoted in this episode:

Mortlake history and brewery:

https://mortlake-history.org.uk/ind/gardens.html

https://www.mbcg.org.uk/history/

The pubs:

https://pubnames.co.uk/index.php

https://www.beerintheevening.com

https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ship

https://londonist.com/pubs/pubs/pubs/the-ship-2

https://www.useyourlocal.com/pubs/ship-mortlake-10454/

https://www.whitehartbarnes.co.uk/

Jolly Gardener reviews: https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/24529/

White Hart reviews: https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/24434/

Books:

Captain Sir Richard Frances Burton: A Biography by Edward Rice, ISBN 978-0306810282

London’s Riverside Pubs by Tim Hampson, ISBN 97815048-00211

Intro Music:  Vivaldi - Spr

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]

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Ghosts, grave robbers, and one last pint before the gallows? Welcome to the Historic London Pubcast - your spirited guide through haunted London pubs and the twisted tales hidden behind creaky pub doors.

In this episode, we take you on a haunted pub crawl through London’s Smithfield - once a grisly hub for resurrection men, and now a hotbed of ghost sightings, grisly legends, and ale-soaked anecdotes.

Featured pubs:

• The Rising Sun Pub London. Haunted lodgings & body snatcher lore.
• The Hand and Shears Pub London. Courtroom drama & the real story of the phrase “on the wagon” origin.
• The Old Red Cow Pub London. Tankard thefts, bar brawls & a ghostly landlord who won’t quit.

Perfect for fans of London ghost stories, true crime London tales, and pub crawl London enthusiasts. This episode is part spooky stroll, part London pub podcast, part London history podcast, and all pint-worthy fun loaded with London travel tips.

Whether you're planning a London walking tour, seeking London hidden gems, want ideas for a London pub crawl, or just looking for unique London attractions to impress your mates, this episode has the chills, the thrills, and the beer spills.

Show Map

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1xXDGJSfJIUy2gw_6uCASi-C45FpOg_M&usp=sharing

References

• Ted Bruning  -- London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
• Wikipedia
• https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com/  by Ann Laffeaty 
• https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/
• Richards & Curl, City of London Pubs - A Practical and Historic Guide  ISBN:0-87749-358-8

Rising Sun

:https://pubwiki.co.uk/LondonPubs/StBart/ClothFair38.shtml

https://owlcation.com/humanities/resurrectionists-body-snatching-in-19th-century-britain

https://www.spookyisles.com/rising-sun-london-ec1/

https://alondoninheritance.com/londonpubs/pubs-of-the-city-of-london-july-2020-part-3

Cloth Fair Street

https://alondoninheritance.com/london-streets/cloth-fair/

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/41-Cloth-Fair-The-oldest-house-in-the-City-of-London/

https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/properties/cloth-fair-43/

Hand and Shears and The Old Red Cow

https://www.pubology.co.uk/pubs/4099.html

https://alondoninheritance.com/londonpubs/hand-and-shears/

https://thehandandshears.com/history/

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: [email protected]