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:
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
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