London Walks has been something that I’ve been looking forward to as a foreign visitor to this amazing city. As somebody who has an insatiable lust for knowledge I am always intrigued with the possibility of learning very anecdotal facts about London. I’ve been recommended London Walks both by my brothers and through many different tour and guide books for London and I finally acted upon this impulse and went on the “Hidden Pubs of London” Tour a few days ago. There was a large group present outside of the tube station consisting of many different age groups from different places in the world. There was a group visiting from Australia, some Americans, Italians and even Londoners themselves looking to brush up on some of their city’s history. Once we met our tour guide Andy I paid the eight pounds and we were ready to go.
We met outside of the Temple tube station which is located on the North Bank of the Thames almost exactly on the boundary between Westminster and City of London. As its name suggests this station is near the Temple Church, a 12th century establishment used as the headquarters of the Knights Templar for their various escorting services to the Holy Land in Jerusalem among other money making ventures. The areas (known as Middle Temple and Inner Temple) are also the locations of the training grounds for Baristors and Solicitors in the city. The tradition of lawyers being members of one of the two Inns of Court (Middle or Inner) as a requirement to practice their trade is still held today as it has for hundreds of years.
Now, I’m sure you are currently thinking to yourself “Self, how on Earth does Erik know all of this non-relevant information in regards to pubs but still fascinating in itself?” Although I would like to take credit for being a wealth of knowledge in terms of this area of London, I have to give kudos to Andy the Tour Guide. The man is an unbelievable trove of knowledge and he gives one amazing history lesson throughout the tour. The tour itself only hits on three very old pubs in the immediate area but in order to truly appreciate the pub and the area it’s in you need to appreciate the history and people who have been drowning their sorrows, happiness, fears, and the like in them for over a hundred years. Andy is an actor who has been working for London Walks for almost 15 years. His experience on the stage helps him to engage a crowd easily and dispense his knowledge with a dash of wit and humour to round out the entire experience. As a history buff I clearly hung on to a lot of his anecdotes and will be dispensing them at will to friends and family as they come and visit (although I may or may not charge a nominal fee as a result.)
The first pub we visited is known as The Deveraux. This is a truly tucked away pub in the area of Middle Temple and if you didn’t already know it was there you would undoubtedly never find it (it’s like that island in Pirates of the Caribbean.) It’s a small pub and has been a go to watering hole for lawyers for many years. There’s nothing truly spectacular about the interior of the building but you can feel the history that the walls exude from the moment you walk in. The Deveraux is one of the many pubs who endorses the Campaign for Real Ale (CARA). This is a campaign set up around Britain to get the Brits back into pubs and recreate what was once a more vibrant atmosphere. Since ales (amongst other liquid vices) is much cheaper to buy at the local grocer and enjoy at home this campaign has been encouraging pubs to have a constantly changing guest ale available to keep selection always vibrant and new. I think it’s a smashing idea and it gives you more reason to come out and try different ales. You might find one you’d never heard of and really enjoy! Food at the Deveraux is just your basic pub fare (no complaints here) and prices were on par with many of the other pubs I’ve visited since my arrival in the UK. Overall, quite an enjoyable place and one I will definitely visit with friends as an off the beaten path place to relax with some pints and enjoy company.
After our visit at The Deveraux we continued our tour up onto The Strand (which is also Fleet Street) and headed east. Our next pub brought us past the Royal Courts of Justice, Dr. Samuel Johnson’s house, and even the alleged location of Sweeny Todd’s barber shop (if it ever actually existed.) After viewing Dr. Johnson’s house what better way to continue than to visit his drinking spot, and this led us to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Now this pub was OLD. It’s quite an aged building that feels like it stretches on and on both up and down and all around. There’s about three floors going up, and two going down plus the main floor. Each area is more unique than the next which makes this pub an experience in itself. The basement areas are literally a cellar (as the bar area is called) with some tables shoved underneath cement foundations and the main area comprised of large medieval style tables that different groups of people all congregate in to eat, drink, and laugh the night away. There’s a special room dedicated to Dr. Johnson, actually finer dining room space, and simple modern pub style drinking space. The Cheshire Cheese truly has it all and if you can’t find a comfortable area to enjoy your night in this pub you are definitely in the wrong place. Very reminiscent of The Leaky Cauldron from Harry Potter fame, this is one of the more popular pubs in the area but you wouldn’t even know it was there unless you were seriously looking for the beat up sign out on Fleet Street. Again, the interior leaves something to be desired but that’s acceptable when you consider how old the building is and how much history is in those walls. This pub is definitely one that will visit again to try not only their large selection of beers on tap (it’s owned by the Samuel Smith brewing company) which won’t cost you more than a couple quid for a pint but also for the many selections on their food menu.
At this point our tour was beginning to wind down and we made our way just a small distance down Fleet Street to our last destination, The Punch. Now Punch magazine is a satirical read from Britain that dates back about 25-30 years. It has quite a large cult following in the general public and the owners and writers eventually used their new found corporate fortune to buy part of an already existing pub and create their own. The Punch is a beautiful looking pub with many fine, more Victorian-esque décor. I didn’t get the opportunity to drink or really get much from this pub because our tour guide had finished at this point and there wasn’t as much history involved here. It was definitely the least “hidden” of the pubs on this tour and seemed to be an easily accessible hang out for any Londoner who is passing by.
In all, this tour was highly enjoyable. Lasting just over two hours my feet were hurting but my brain was bursting with a wealth of knowledge. I’m very happy that Andy made this tour just as much about the history of the region, and of England itself, as he did with the pubs we were visiting. He really made you feel that these pubs were veins, vital organisms, within the city itself that really make it come to life. I will definitely be revisiting these pubs in the future to further enjoy their niche as tucked away, quiet places to enjoy. I highly recommend this London Walk as a must for anyone who enjoys a bit of history to be washed down with a pint or two of ale. Cheers!
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