Historic London Pubs - Spaniard's Inn

Traditional British Pub Near Hampstead Heath in North London

Mar 15, 2009

Many historic London pubs, like the Spaniard's Inn, are just a short Tube trip from the West End. Ancient in character but up to date where good food is concerned.

The notorious 18th-century highwayman, Dick Turpin, was born in 1706 in this tavern which dates from the 16th century. He used it as a base from which to rob passers by.

London Pubs - About the Spaniard's Inn

The Spaniard’s Inn is located within a 15 or 20-minute walk of Hampstead High Street - one of North London's most popular shopping areas. Some of Britain’s most famous writers live here, in elegant 18th and 9th-century houses. It is worthwhile exploring this attractive and historic area while you are in the vicinity.

There are slightly.differing accounts as to how the tavern got its name. The one most quoted is that it came from the inn being the16th-century country retreat of the Spanish Ambassador to King James of England.

London Pubs - Spaniard’s Inn - Interior

There's atmosphere by the cartload inside the Spaniard’s Inn. There are a few different drinking areas: the bar where you purchase drinks and can sit if you wish, a larger roon next to the bar if you prefer to eat somewhere more quiet, and a tiny room that holds scarcely more than four people. Then, if you want to be alone - well almost - there’s a quiet room upstairs which is less used.

There’s a large open-air beer garden at the rear of the pub which is very popular and gets very crowded during a warm summer weekend. The food is good - you order your food at the bar and it is brought out to you. Knowing the British obsession with their dogs, there is even a ‘Doggy Wash’ where the pooch can have a wash and brush-up while you relax over a pint or two.

The robber highwayman, Dick Turpin, was born in 1706. He is said to have been born at the Spaniard’s Inn, his father being a landlord at the time. The road which still runs alongside the Spaniard’s was, in those days, on the main London coach route and the coaches frequently carried wealthy travelers - consequently the pickings were good for Mr. Turpin and his ilk. Another thing that would have made robbing easier was the fact that a large horse trough was placed directly across from the tavern and this meant that some coaches would be stopping to water their horses after the two-hour drive from London.

This trough, housed in a small white building in which Turpin’s horse, Black Bess, stayed, still stands exactly as it was. Local people would like to have it removed because it takes up a chunk of the road and the traffic has to slow down to one lane at this point.

Great literary figures who were regulars at The Spaniard’s visitors include Charles Dickens, who mentioned it in The Pickwick Papers and also by Bram Stoker in Dracula, and poets Byron and Keats, plus many more. But, because of his notoriety, Dick Turpin has become the best known of the pub’s historical visitors.

If you are driving, the pub has a car park. A really nice thing to do is to take a bracing walk on Hampstead Heath and pop into the Spaniards for lunch or an early dinner.

Take the Northern Line on the London Underground to Hampstead Station. Turn right out of the station and head up the hill.

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