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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: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

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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: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

Send us a text

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: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com