Spaniards Inn

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The Spaniards Inn lies on Spaniards Road on the way from Hampstead to Highgate, on the edge of Hampstead Heath near Kenwood House. Built in 1585 as a tollgate inn on the Finchley boundary, it formed the entrance to the Bishop of London's estate - an original boundary stone from 1755 can still be seen in the front garden. These boundaries are still relevant today - the pub is in Barnet and the tollhouse is in Camden, both are now listed buildings and traffic is reduced to one lane between the two. A proposal to demolish the tollhouse opposite the Spaniards in 1961 was successfully resisted, partly on the grounds that it would lead to more and faster traffic

The Inn remains a quaint, oak panelled and atmospheric pub with one of the best pub gardens in London which were originally created as pleasure gardens, with an artificial mound from which one could see views over London and even as far as Windsor Castle.

Dick Turpin is thought to have been a regular at the Inn and his father is rumoured to have been a previous landlord. What is certain is that highway men frequented this area and likely used the Inn to watch the road; at that time the Inn was around two hours from London by coach and the area had its fair share of wealthy travellers. Records from the Old Bailey show that on 16th October 1751 Samuel Bacon was indicted for robbery on the Kings Highway and was caught 200 yards from the Spaniards. A tree (now gone) at the end of the road was a famous site where highwaymen were hung when caught.

Other notable figures that are certain to have drunk there include John Keats - who wrote Ode to a Nightingale in the garden one summer’s day; Dickens - who featured the Inn in the Pickwick Papers and in Barnaby Rudge. It is certain that many more 'notables' have frequented the Inn over the years (Marx is another) - it has kept its character so well you can sit and imagine many of them still sitting there next to you.

The Inn has a large number of literary connections: from the Pickwick Papers to Ode to a Nightingale as mentioned; but also Bram Stokers Dracula and many late 19 century novels.

[edit] Food

In 2006/7 it won "Best Food Pub: London" in the Morning Advertiser Awards. It has a selection of over 40 beers and is widely respected for the quality of its ales.

[edit] Notable Patrons

[edit] External links

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