Historic London Pubcast cover art

Historic London Pubcast

Historic London Pubcast

By: Eric Blair
Listen for free

About this listen

If you know London's pubs, then you know the history of London. Every pub has a story to tell... if you know where to look. Host, Eric Blair takes us on a journey across London's historic pubs. Along the way we'll get all the quirky, fascinating stories of the architecture, antiquity, legends, and personalities that make up London's unique pub scene. Equal parts travel, story telling, architecture, history, and social commentary, join The Historic London Pubcast community. Not just London Pub Crawl, lots of fun stories along the way!

© 2025 Historic London Pubcast
Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary World
Episodes
  • Smithfield’s Secret Haunted Pubs, Body Snatchers & Last Call
    Aug 25 2025

    Send us a text

    Body snatchers, cadavers, and one last drink before execution. I’m getting chills — and they’re sure to be multiplying — as host Eric Blair takes us down the dark alleys of Smithfield. From The Rising Sun’s ghostly guests and tales of fresh corpses for sale, to The Hand and Shears’ grim fairground trials, The Old Red Cow’s spectral landlord, and the origin of the phrase “on the wagon,” Eric guides us through another fascinating, spine-tingling take on London pub history.

    ================================

    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 this episodes:

    • 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

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

    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/

    https://www.pubology.co.uk/pubs/4231.html

    https://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?Old_Red_Cow,_EC1A_9EJ

    Intro Music: Vivaldi - Spring Allegro by John Harrison w/ the Wichita State University Chamber Orch.

    Photo: Jim Lindwood



    Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com/

    E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • Ep 44 Clerkenwell - Farringon & Smithfield Market Historic Pubs
    Aug 11 2025

    Send us a text

    In this episode, we start in Clerkenwell, known for its revolutionary past, and visit The Crown Tavern. Then on toward Smithfield Market stopping at The Castle, The Three Compassas and finally The Hope

    ================================

    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:

    • Ted Bruning -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) and London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
    • Wikipedia
    • https://pubwiki.co.uk/
    • https://camra.org.uk/

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

    Clerkenwell & Merlin’s Cave

    https://www.londonloveaffair.com/blogs/a-historical-pub-crawl#:~:text=The%20Clerk's%20Well,the%20capital's%20highest%20murder%20rates.

    https://clerkenwellgreen.org.uk/history-summary/

    https://www.ec1echo.co.uk/the-roving-pub-that-is-no-more/

    Three Compassas & Cowcross Street

    https://www.mykindoftown.co.uk/blog/2022/08/01/cowcross-street/

    https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jan/15/bouchon-racine-london-i-am-a-huge-dribbling-admirer-restaurant-review

    https://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/23372/

    Dictionary of Pub Names ISBN 1840222662

    The Hope

    https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1293085?section=official-list-entry

    https://www.thepeoplespub.co.uk/hope-smithfield

    Intro Music: Vivaldi - Spring Allegro by John Harrison w/ the Wichita State University Chamber Orch.

    Photo: Ewan Munro



    Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com/

    E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

    Show More Show Less
    27 mins
  • Cheers To Limehouse Pubs. Cities Built & Empires Launched.
    Jul 28 2025

    Send us a text

    In this episode, we’re back to looking at some riverpubs, this time in Limehouse, along with some area pub history and a great area pub just inland.

    ================================

    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:

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

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

    Limehouse Area History:

    https://alondoninheritance.com/londonpubs/house-they-left-behind/

    https://www.londonpicturearchive.org.uk/view-item?i=122172&WINID=1749070788344

    https://zythophile.co.uk/2010/10/04/taylor-walker-the-brewery-name-that-just-wont-die/

    The Grapes

    Tim Hampson, London’s Riverside Pubs – ISBN: 9781504800211

    Ian McKellen history: https://www.thegrapes.co.uk/history.php

    The Narrow (Bread Street Kitchen)

    https://camra.org.uk/pubs/bread-street-kitchen-on-the-river-limehouse-155226

    The Star of the East

    https://boakandbailey.com/2022/08/the-star-of-the-east-a-surviving-limehouse-gin-palace/

    https://www.londonpubexplorer.com/back-from-the-dead/the-star-of-the-east

    https://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/39/39194/Star_of_the_East/Limehouse

    James Potts & Sam Cullen, What’s in a London Pub Name, ISBN 9781854144713

    Intro Music: Vivaldi - Spring Allegro by John Harrison w/ the Wichita State University Chamber Orch.

    Photo: Reading Tom



    Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com/

    E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

    Show More Show Less
    26 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.