29/02/20 - The Widows Son, Bow - London Dossier - Pub 2

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.

Ceiling mounted sack of buns

29/02/2020 - Inner London Ring - Eastern Half

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.

A photo cannot be avoided

At least this is out the way on my tick list

A place full of anchors

28/02/20 - Smithfield Pub Crawl

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 got a 13 mile walk tomorrow.

28/02/20 - Ye Olde Mitre - London Dossier Pub #1

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.