Pub number two from a list of the best London Pubs, according to Len Deighton in a 1967 Tourist Guide.
The Widows Son is one of those pubs with a story to tell.
You'll find it deep in the East End and handily next to Devons Road DLR. I found it for the 2nd time whilst on a lengthy walk on the Inner London Ring.
The first time I came, I had no idea of its history but when I got home, I'd had a book delivered called "Britain's Strangest Pubs". The Widows Son was on the cover.
The reason - mouldy buns.
Widows Son
I could tell you the story of Napoleonic war tragedy - but a photo will suffice.
A Sailor bearing buns appears every year
In the 8 years since my last visit - its had quite a make over. I had heard it had been closed down for a couple of years - but its listed status has stopped it from being converted into flats. Unfortunately, along with the make over comes new opening hours. 2pm on a Saturday is little use to anyone.
However, all is not lost. A photo through the window and I can bring you the mouldy buns.
Distance - 12 Miles
Geocaches - 5 Walk Inspiration
Pubs - Prospect of Whitby - Shadwell and Libery Bounds - Tower Bridge
Blogfans will maybe know that I have completed three circuits of the Smoke - The Capital Ring, The London Loop and the London Countryway. I'm having a free hit on London Walks in 2020, but in my investigations, I found the Inner London Ring.
This 25 miles circuit of London is possible to do in a (very) long day. The website breaks it down into four walks - each lovingly detailed.
I'm going to complete the Eastern Half - Starting at Kings Cross and finishing at Tower Bridge.
The northern sections takes in the Regents Canal, emerging at the bottom of Upper Street in Islington, before finding the waterway through edgy Hoxton, Hackney and Haggerston.
Islington Tunnel - where we temporarily leave the Regents Canal
Which takes us all the way to an Urban Farm in Hackney
Goldsmiths Row sounds familiar to me - and the pub reminds me that used to be called the Albion - complete with a Throstles Crest and plenty of full sized photos of West Brom stars from the early nineties. Disappointingly, its now the Virgin Queen and trading off its reputation for fish and chips.
I'd been there when it was in all its glory
Onward with the walk - through the massive Victoria Park before hitting familiar ground on the Lea Navigation at Hackney Wick. This drives through the Olympic Park, where West Ham are at home later in the afternoon but this time, I am not treated to lost Hammers Fans looking for a suitable pub. Either they have now found their bearings or I am a bit early for the 3pm kick off.
Victoria Park's Island Hosted Pagoda
West Ham - who went on to have a unusual good afternoon
A Len Deighton Top 12 pub is available at Bow - and this is worthy of another blog - so I press on down the Lime House Cut. The dogs are huge and the owners are selfish, as I spend the length dodging puddles and turds.
Limehouse Cut - where the big dogs live
Limehouse Basin
Limehouse Basin leads to a stretch of the Thames Path and the first refreshment of the day can be had at the Prospect of Whitby. A Greene King pub trading of its impressive history of pirates and charting the monarchy that has passed since its inception. If you are there - have a mooch. Upstairs, downstairs and outside for the Thames side terraces. Wonderful place.
Impressive Thames Views
Must Visit Pub - the Prospect of Whitby
Serving punters since Henry VIII
Upstairs Smuggler's Bar
It's an ornamental canal that leads me to St Katernine's Dock and ultimately, the tourist hordes at Tower Bridge.
The Shard in the murk
Sun comes out in St Katherines Dock
A few obligatory tourist photos and into the Liberty Bounds for a Good Beer Guide Tick.
Its heaving, a deeply unpleasant experience and the only thing of interest I can bring is a photo for the Wetherspoons carpet fans.
Walk Inspiration - Camra's London Pub Walks - Walk 18
Number of pubs - 6
The meat market by night.
Helpful Ladies point the way to the pub
My walk starts off at the famous Ye Olde Mitre. A pub worthy of a blog entry on its own, straddling three ongoing tick lists - Len Deighton's Top London Pubs, Evening Standard's Top 50 London Pubs and of course, the Good Beer Guide.
Butchers Hook and Cleaver, 61 West Smithfield Street, Fullers ESB
Got to love the honesty in the pub guide. It berates the place for its tacky name and suggests that if you are here for the pub architecture, you should move on.
With it's JDW-esque sign paneling, patron's spilling out into the road and those inside who have had too much of the pie and/or ale that this place boasts about so highly, the guide is correct.
Famous for a Mezzanine Floor and little else
Hand and Shears, 1 Middle Street, Timothy Taylor Landlord
This is why I follow these random guides. This pub is a gem and becomes an instant favourite to be re-visited whenever I am in the area.
Upstairs dart players show that I am in the land of the traditional.
My sort of place
John Betjeman was a pub connoisseur of some note and this was his local, before the noise from the meat juggernauts drove him away. Given a bit more time, this area will fall silent again and if he was to come back, I don't think the pub will have changed from what he would have remembered.
You could be at any time in the C20th.
An oasis of Calm
With your nan's furniture
A seat at the bar and an excellent choice of two Timothy Taylor ales was simply icing on the cake.
The Hope, Cowcross Street, St Autsell's Tribute
If I was doing this properly, I would have included the Fox and Anchor - but this is a place for breakfast only.
I move on to a handsome looking pub, with some impressive front windows.
No drink riding
Inside presents a large, airy bar and a disappointingly hazy Tribute.
Hope for something better
The Jerusalem Tavern, 55 Briton Street, St Peter Best Bitter
Another authentic, aged pub
I've not heard of St Peter's Brewery - but I do know that this is their only tied pub in London.
So you'd hope for a better kept pint than the swill they served me. You can tell it was getting late, as on reflection at looking at my pictures, there's no doubt I would have taken this back to get into an argument that "its meant to look like that".
And guess what? Of course, its in the Good Beer Guide.
Further horror is revealed on checking my bank account following a contactless transaction.
£6.20. I certainly don't remember order nuts. So that was a pint then.
How do you like you Best Bitter. Lifelessly murky?
The pub itself does a good job of going to its distressed ancient look. It became a pub in 1996.
The Exmouth Arms, Exmouth Market, Camden Hells
A bonus tick on the way back to my friendly Travelodge. I wasn't going to miss out on this late licenced, former Courage Brewery, green tiled, Good Beer Guide Tick.
Late night capital drinking
A place at the bar was as good a place as any to annoy the other punters. To be fair, there was plenty of room and it gave me plenty of time to decide that an accompanying Glenfarclas 12 year old would not be a good idea.
I've managed to track down a cheap copy of Len Deighton's London Dossier. It's a 1967 guide to London - which of course has a list of the Capital's top pubs.
Nothing for it - I've another checklist to tick off.
Starting with this one at least gets three ticks - it's also in the Good Beer Guide and the Evening Standard's Top 50 London Pubs.
Ye Olde Mitre, 1 Ely Court, Fullers ESB
I imagine the Hatton Garden thieves found it just as difficult to find their way into the vault as it is to find this pub.
But find it you must, as this is one of the classic London pubs for those in the know. Look for an alleyway off Hatton Gardens or go through the barrier controls of Charterhouse Street and turn left at the first lamp post.
Fullers Sign Helps
Which leads to a secret world
With a pub dating from 1546, there's plenty of rumours. There's a rumour that you are in Cambridgeshire. There's a rumour that a cherry tree exists in the main bar that Elizabeth I danced the maypole around.
I was more interested in tracking down a decent pint. ESB only in bottles, I can accept. London Pride off takes the biscuit. ESB it is.
The front bar is tiny but I was lucky to get a seat next to the fire, that steamed up my glasses and rendered my Untappd check in vague. But in a place like there, there's no room for C21st fripperies. I should concentrate on soaking up the atmosphere.
The real action is in the back bar - where if the gods are smiling, you will get into the little alcove they call Ye Closet. That's something to aim for on the next visit. The South Africans beat me to it this time.
Instead, I get to sit on wooden furniture that wouldn't be out of place in a medieval banqueting hall and entertain myself by counting the ceiling mounted toby jugs.
32 (ish)
And if you are looking for the gents - try outside.
Distance - 10 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Pub - Sun Inn, Leintwardine, Three Tuns
Previous Stages - Stage 1
Hopton Heath Railway Station is a lonely place to start a walk. An electronic notice board that gives only a phone number to ring for train information. A single track line, no other passengers.
Always Early
An encouraging toot is heard two minutes after its scheduled 9:38am arrival and as this is a request stop only, I have sufficient warning to get into position. I have been practicing how to stop a moving train by watching the Railway Children and fashioning flags out of old Fullers London Pride T-Shirts.
13 minutes later, I am alighting at Knighton - still in England, even if the town the station serves is in Wales. I am ready to re-conquer Panpunton Hill on Offa's Dyke Path in wind conditions that seemed perfectly wild enough to me to be a named Storm. Maybe we have been spoiled this Winter.
It's worth the puffing and panting. Having walked this twice now, its fast becoming one of my favourite UK Views. One day, I will do it in decent conditions.
Flooded Teme Valley below - from last weeks Storm Dennis
Capturing the Wind by Go Pro
Head east for Five Turnings and then 2.5 miles of fine high level walking, thankfully free of mud and standing water to Bucknell Wood. Here a decision needs to be made - by traveling to Knighton, I have missed out Bucknell Station. I had planned on incorporating the official walk into today but its a four mile extension that can be missed out by 500ft of downhill walking past the farm named Vron.
Never before have a I missed out on a pub but today's 2032 ft of ascent has been strenuous enough. I will return to the Sitwell Arms on another day.
Better than hoped for conditions
Vron Farms Bull
Hit the River Redlake valley floor for another climb through the fir trees of Hopton Titterhill. No other ramblers, but the occasional mountain biker sharing the paths.
3.5 hours after setting off, I am back in Hopton Castle for the long walk back to the Station.
Wild Shropshire
For a closer look at the Castle found at Stage 1
There's no chance of post walk refreshment at Hopton but I am not far from Leintwardine, where there's a truly remarkable example of the a Parlour Pub. I'd checked out Google Maps, which seemed to show it was up for sale. I needed a repeat visit to confirm it has been left as I remember it. See my previous blog for the text, but I will leave you with today's photos.
Sign a touch battered, but as I remember it
Room to the left
Room to the right. A a very good three Tuns. Nan told me to use the coaster.
A day for completing things. The final Bathams pub walk drops me off on the outskirts of Stourbridge town. Current Good Beer Guide has four entries, but no doubt in the September 2021 release, it will be all change.
I have a final two to explore. And a resurrection awaits at Stourbridge Junction.
Queens Head, Enville Street, Burton Bridge Brewery Golden Delicious
And I find myself having to walk past another Bathams pub to find this Black Country Ale that ticks all of the boxes that you expect from this chain.
Its a renovated back street boozer.
Hand Pulls outnumber punters by a factor of about 3.
Would it have been rude to even ask which was the freshest?
Not crossing a busy road for a better photo
There's the other three punters
The landlady was knowledgeable, chatty and prepared to answer the question of where the blue monkey brewery is by checking the back pages of the Oracle.
Would I attempt to cross the four lanes of the notorious ring road again for a revisit?
Did I tell you there was a Bathams pub next door?
Barbridge, Victoria Passge, Slaters Haka
Onward to a micro pub deep in the bowels of Stourbridge Old Town, a place that residents of Beirut use to describe the roughest parts of their town. At least I get through without being hassled for spare change. Last time here, I was actually followed between pubs.
Funky End of the Micro Scene
You can see from the graffiti adorned corrugated iron and catwoman on the ladies looks that we are in the funky end of the Micro Scene.
I liked the glass cabinet showing the end to end machinery of delivering an excellent pint of Haka.
Less keen on the repurposed keg urinals.
The Seven Stars, Brook Road, Stourbridge, Burton Bridge Stairway to Heaven
This is an amazing building and ideally located at the end of the driveway to Stourbridge Junction.
Yet it was closed for a couple of years, before recently being resuscitated by - and you've guessed it - Black Country Ales.
There may be a law about a place being open for 12 months before its back in the Bible - so it may be 2022 before it appears, but I have no doubt it will.
Seven Stars at Night
For fans of pub tiling
Unfortunately, I'm going to have to bore you with a particularly British example of customer service.
Context: I'm starving and using contactless.
Enter the bar area - an even bigger array of hand pulls that the Queens Head. I decide to stick with the Burton Bridge - although they have spelt it "Stairway to Heavon" on the scoreboard.
Blogfans will comment about people in glass houses.
"Are you still doing food?", I inquire?
"Yes, but you have to go next door" is the response.
OK - into the other bar. Where I ask for a menu. They only have 4, so I have to go a nick someone elses. I order my food and ask for my chosen pint - to be met with "we don't do that in this bar, you need to go in the other bar".
A debate about paying by card is met with a shrug and she disappears to serve other people their meals.
I try again with another bar man. He offers to fetch me the pint. Lovely - he understand the concept of customer service.
Then he hands me back to the girl who had previously disappeared. Who wants to charge me for the meal and pint separately.
Bar hangers get involved in the debate.
Where's the Fast Show's Billy Bleach when you need a referee?
Just when you think your work is complete, there is a new Bathams pub.
Not really much of an issue.
The Bird in Hand is very close to Stourbridge Junction railway station and the greenery on offer South of the town. Having already walked Wychbury Hill from the King Arthur, I'll head in the opposite direction, where the blue flag on the OS Map shows golf courses. After the pub visit, my route extends into the town, where a few undiscovered Good Beer Guide Ticks await. From there, a single carriage shuttle train whisks you back to main Station.
Upper Swinford has to be close to Old Swinford's Pubs?
A walk down Worcester Lane and a cut through what must be Stourbridges poshest housing estate. The properties are impressive in size and that's just the gates that protect them from the hoi polloi working up a thirst. The kids are either that incredibly well brought up or lacking in imagination.
How the young Mappiman would have howled at the application of a small amount of Tippex
The Golf Course provides the required amount of greenery to class this as a proper ramble and then past playing fields and the TA Centre to the pub.
Decent Ramble
Look on Google Maps and the Bird in Hand looks a tired old Banks Pub. At the end of 2019, its been brought back to life - complete with a new sign and the little Bathams hallmarks - etched windows, branded mats and I'm sure the internal paint is new. If not, a co-incidence its in the corporate colours.
Always something new to discover
They are on to a winning formula. 5pm and I am able to get the last table to sit at. The place is full - groups of friends, dart playing youths, the old man in the corner with two pints on the go and a dog at his feet under the table.
And we're all here for the same thing.
And this was exceptional quality
So Bathams - I think I have finished now. Should you need inspiration for future purchases, Stourport-on-Severn is lovely.
