Send us a text

Listen now and discover London’s revolutionary pubs filled with anarchy and assassins.

Ready for a proper London pub walk? In this episode, we explore more of historic London, tracing a trail of rebellion and riots.

What do revolutionaries, royals, radicals, and a legendary pub clock—have in common? The path from Clerkenwell through Farringdon to Smithfield traces a route rich with medieval history, market tradition, and religious heritage. The area has evolved from a separate village outside London's walls into a bustling modern district while retaining key historic landmarks.

In this electrifying episode, Eric Blair walks us through these very streets, taking us from Clerkenwell’s holy springs and medieval mystery plays to the raucous legacy of Smithfield Market. From the fiery riots of Clerkenwell Green to whispered plots against kings, and a maybe a meeting between Lenin and Stalin in a local pub.

Along the way, we stop in at five legendary pubs—each steeped in scandal, secrets, and spirits (the liquid kind and maybe the haunted kind).

We explore:
•Merlin’s Cave Pub, a radical hotspot with firebrand speeches and revolutionary crowds.
•The Crown Tavern London, rumored site of a secret pint shared by Lenin and Stalin.
•The Castle, where George IV may have pawned his pocket watch after a night of questionable decisions.
•The Three Compasses, built by carpenters, rebuilt after the Blitz, and now dishing out top-tier bistro fare.
•The Hope Pub Farringdon, where meat porters, market traders, and pardoned prisoners all had their rounds.

If you’re into London history, historic London pubs, pub history UK, secret London stories, or revolutionary London history, this episode is for you. It’s more than a UK history podcast, better even than just a London podcast, and not simply a podcast about London pubs - it’s a guide to the best pubs in London, a glimpse into radical London history, and a crash course in London riots history, revolution, and pint-fueled politics.

Perfect for fans of London walking tours or anyone looking for London travel tips.

Show Map:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1xXDGJSfJIUy2gw_6uCASi-C45FpOg_M&usp=sharing

References:

• Ted Bruning -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) and London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
• Wikipedia
• https://pubwiki.co.uk/
• https://camra.org.uk/

Clerkenwell & Merlin’s Cave

https://www.londonloveaffair.com/blogs/a-historical-pub-crawl#:~:text=The%20Clerk's%20Well,the%20capital's%20highest%20murder%20rates.

https://clerkenwellgreen.org.uk/history-summary/

https://www.ec1echo.co.uk/the-roving-pub-that-is-no-more/

Three Compassas & Cowcross Street

https://www.mykindoftown.co.uk/blog/2022/08/01/cowcross-street/

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jan/15/bouchon-racine-london-i-am-a-huge-dribbling-admirer-restaurant-review

ht

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com

E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com