TRAFALGAR TAVERN

TRAFALGAR TAVERN - A LITERARY LONDON PUB

Being in Greenwich to visit Arthur meant I could pop into the Trafalgar Tavern for a swift half.

This riverside pub first opened in 1837. It is housed in a Grade II-listed building with Regency architecture. The name of this pub relates to the Battle of Trafalgar which has been written about in many books - here is a reading list from a Radio 4 discussion.

The outside of the pub is painted a sand colour. Out the front, there is plenty of seats and a statue of Nelson, who won the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 but was shot and died in the process. In the summer, out the front, offers a good place to view the River Thames, Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome. But, to give a warning, it can get very busy in the tourist season. No one was sitting outside today - it was too cold.

Inside, there are many more tributes to Nelson. I sat in a large bay window with a half of Adnams Southwold Bitter. Two busts of Nelson and two ornamental cannons sat on a ledge outside the window. I looked out at the Thames and a group of kids mudlarking on its bank.

Charles Dickens ate and drank here; he mentions the pub in Our Mutual Friend, the last novel he completed. The Trafalgar Tavern is the setting for the wedding breakfast.

Among the other literary visitors to this pub have been: William Gladstone (books); Benjamin Disraeli (books); and William Makepeace Thackeray.

Trafalgar Tavern, Park Row, Greenwich, SE10 9NW

Wikipedia: Trafalgar Tavern

If you liked this article, there are other London literary pubs listed here.