Why Prospect of Whitby is a great pub to visit during your stay in London? (or a very cool pub not too far from Tower Bridge)

PubPub in London

25 Oct

In this post, I would like to tell you a few (mainly gruesome) stories about the pub, which is located a little bit off the beaten tourist tracks in London, but so worth visiting.

This pub is called the Prospect of Whitby*.

*However, the ghosts of this pub might be more familiar with the name the Devil’s Tavern, as this is what this place used to be called in their times.

**Where is the Prospect of Whitby located?**

Prospect of Whitby is located in Wapping, the area loacted on the east side of Tower Bridge.

You can find this pub on the street called Wapping Wall. This lovely tavern is overlooking the river Thames.

**What is the Prospect of Whitby pub famous for?**

There were times when most of the goods were brought to London by ships.

Back then, Wapping (the area where the Prospect of Whitby is located) was inhabited mainly by people associated with maritime activities: sailors, boat builders, mast makers, and all sorts of people who made their living, one-way or another, from the sea trade.

It was a busy place. And taverns were popular places for gatherings.

Apparently, in the heydays of sea trade on the main street in Wapping (Wapping High Street), you could find over 140 alehouses (pubs)!

The Prospect of Whitby is one of the few pubs in this area that survived from that period.

This pub, back then, was called The Devil’s Tavern.

It earned this nickname as it attracted people who chose to stay on the wrong side of the law.

Many of them, when caught, ended their lives at a nearby Execution Dock.

The Execution Dock was an infamous place where criminals who committed their crimes at sea were hanged. It was located around 10 min walk from the Prospect of Whitby pub. The criminals were hanged there, and their bodies were left on public display until 3 tides washed over them.

The place where most likely the pirates were hanged in Wapping

Why are there gallows placed outside the Prospect of Whitby pub?

The Devil's Tavern was often visited by one infamous judge, George Jeffreys.

He was better known under his professional nickname "hanging judge".

He had the power to send people to the Execution Dock, and he was using it!

He sent hundreds of pirates and smugglers into the infamous dock.

The gallows outside the Prospect of Whitby pub (placed on the shore) are a symbol of his visits there. He apparently liked to stop there for a meal when he was on his way to see the execution of his harsh sentences.

The biography of George Jeffreys is full of irony.

At the end of his life, he became the victim himself.

There was a rebellion against the monarch he was serving (James II).

The king managed to flee the country. "Hanging judge" wasn't that lucky.

He was caught when disguised as a sailor in the nearby Town of Ramsgate pub.

He did not manage to resist the temptation, and he stopped there for one last drink before leaving the country.

He was recognized and placed in the Tower of London, where he died.

Why this pub is called now the Prospect of Whitby?

At the beginning of the 19th century, the Devil’s Tavern was damaged by a fire.

The pub was eventually rebuilt, but the old name was forgotten.

People were describing the nearby (known to everybody) landmarks to indicate this place as a meeting point.

The ship with the name Prospect of Whitby was often moored near the pub, and eventually, Prospect of Whitby became the name of the pub too.

How old is the Prospect of Whitby pub?

The design of Prospect of Whitby we can see today comes from the 19th century (after the fire), but the stone floor of the pub is 400 years old.

Inside the pub, you can see the plaque stating that Prospect of Whitby is the oldest riverside inn in London, along with the complete list of monarchs this tavern managed to outlive.

And the name of the ruling king, Charles III.

What is there to see at the Prospect of Whitby pub?

The Waterman Steps: The passengers of the ships arriving and departing from Wapping were using steps usually located (for convenience) near public houses. The stone steps near Prospect of Whitby are believed to be the same age as the stone floor of the pub (400 years old). You can use these stairs to get to the shore.

The wooden gallows: even if the actual executions did not take place outside the pub, there are wooden gallows installed there. It is a gruesome reminder of the past of this place. The gallows are also visible from the balcony of the pub.

Pepy’s Room and Smuggler’s Bar: If you climb to the first floor of the Prospect of Whitby, you will find rooms, that have been named after their regulars. Pepy's Room is named after famous diarist Samuel Pepys, who used to visit this place. Smuggler's Bar... well, self-explanatory, I think.

View of the Canary Wharf: The Prospect of Whitby is occupying a spot just by the river and offers a great view of a significant stretch of the river Thames. You can see from there a great panorama of Canary Wharf.

Famous people who visited the Prospect of Whitby pub

Charles Dickens, Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra, and most likely Cher.

Cher once rented an apartment in Oliver's Wharf (a converted warehouse neat the Town of Ramsgate pub) in Wapping. It was in the 1990s.

Cher was renting a flat in the building on the left site of the Town of Ramsgate pub.

What is the best time to visit Prospect of Whitby pub?

Considering the gruesome history of the Execution Dock at Wapping, Halloween is the perfect answer to this question.

But honestly, this pub is so full of character that it is worth the trip any time during the year.

However, if you wish to step on shore and see the wooden gallows from the beach, you will need to visit the pub when the tide is low. To check the timings of low tides for the river Thames, visit this website.