Friday 29 January 2016
Spaniards Inn, Hampstead, established 1585
The seat where Dick Turpin once sat?
On the edge of the Heath, along a dark winding lane with hanging trees, the Spaniards Inn guards the boundary between Hampstead and Highgate.
It reeks of clandestine meetings and highwaymen in black cloaks holding up passers-by.
This isolated pub dates to 1585 and was immortalized in Charles Dickens’ "The Pickwick Papers."
Legend holds that famous villain Dick Turpin was born here, and learned his criminal ways in the pub.
Reportedly, John Keats penned "Ode to a Nightingale" in the garden.
Today, in the smaller rooms, the ceilings remain low, and the antique dark wood furniture give it an authentic feel, while cabinets show off the inn’s heritage with extracts from relevant Dickensian literature and Turpin memorabilia.
by erectusplus at 21:23 |
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(The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
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