The Town of Ramsgate
Mon - Sat: 12pm - 11pm
Sun: 12pm - 10:30pm
Opening hours:
Address:
62 Wapping High St, London E1W 2PN
A Wapping institution and one of the Thames' oldest pubs
Although the original building dates back to 1545, the National Monuments Record states that it was built on earlier foundations, probably originating during the Wars of the Roses in the 1460s. It was called The Hostel, then later “The Red Cow” (a reference to the barmaid at the time, lovely!). Being one of the oldest pubs on the Thames (and the only one surviving on the high street, where there were 20 in the 1900s), the establishment has many stories to tell. The notorious Judge Jeffreys, infamous for the Bloody Assizes, where he sentenced hundreds to death after Monmouth’s rebellion, was recognised and caught outside the ale house disguised as a sailor while fleeing to Hamburg after the Glorious Revolution.
Today, this pub has been run by the same family for over 20 years (a rarity nowadays!), and benefits from a Grade II listing, awarded primarily for the pub's history and interior: beautiful, beamed ceilings, benches, plank panelling and a stunning engraved glass screen. Visitors enjoy a proper historic pub vibe and delicious traditional food, especially the famous homemade Steak and Ale pie. We were told some love it so much that they abandon their pub crawl and stay until the end!
Wapping Old Stairs, the original tax loophole
Head to the side of the pub and discover the famous “Wapping Old Stairs”. Visit at low tide and you can still see the post to which condemned pirates were chained and left to drown as the tide rose. Later, it became a landing point for fishermen from Ramsgate, who brought their catches here to avoid the river taxes imposed further upstream near Billingsgate Fish Market. And now you know why it’s called the “Town of Ramsgate”! Pretty interesting, isn’t it?
