Pub history....

Spent yesterday evening in two rather historic pubs down on the Thames....

The first, The Captain Kidd. The pub is housed in a 17th Century building and has been a pub for about a century the building it was originally a warehouse used by tradesmen making boats, repairing sails and working on the river. The Captain Kidd took its name from a pirate that was hung at the site in 1701. Captain William Kidd, however, was not someone who was going to go quietly, at the first attempt to hang him the rope broke, he died at the second attempt and was left tied to the scaffolding until the traditional three tides had washed over him. His body was then taken down and taken to Tilbury Point where his body was 'preserved' and hung in chains as a warning to other pirates.

Dinner was pleasant and sitting watching the tide flow out of the Thames was lovely....how all summer evenings in London should be.


Second pub visited...The Prospect of Whitby. As you can see from this picture the pub has been around for a 'while'..or at least since the time of Henry VIII!


The Prospect is allegedly the oldest riverside pub in London (built c. 1520, originally called the Devil's Tavern) and has had a fairly distinguished guest list including Pepys, Turner, Whistler and Dickens - obviously not in that order!

One of the other 'regulars' was 'Hanging' Judge Jeffreys, which is why the pub has a noose hanging out the front over the river...