The Mayflower

Photos and First Impressions

 

View from across Rotherhithe Street

Streetside View

Side Entrance and Patio

A warning, or just sensible policy?

The Bar

Side Room

Central Fireplace

Ample Seating on the Back Deck

Overlooking the Thames, and Honoring 'Merica

Chronicling from the Barstool

 

Let’s deal with the obvious question first. Yes, this pub owes its namesake to the pilgrim ship of the same name. When they set sail in 1620, the pub was known simply as The Shippe—again, a proper English name, complete with superfluous letters and all.

 

Before sailing for Plymouth and on to Massachusetts, Mayflower Capt. Christopher Jones moored the ship here, allegedly to avoid paying a tax further down the Thames. And just when you though the story of The Mayflower couldn’t be more quintessentially American, we learn the voyage started with a tax dodge. Brilliant!

 

While the pub (and London more generally) long celebrated this history, the establishment didn’t officially adopt its current name until 1957. The only American flag I’ve seen since arriving here in England hangs from overlook on the large deck out back The Mayflower.

 

Of all the pubs I’ve visited, none more perfectly balances the traditional and the modern than The Mayflower. The trappings and cozy comforts of the weathered pub are all here: the large, wood fireplace; the short, broken-in stools; old booth seating with mismatched pillow cushions; pewter mugs; the requisite historical wall coverings…all there.

 

But they’ve managed to make some nice updates to draw in patrons without destroying the pub’s character. The large back deck makes for a lively gathering place in warmer weather. Though it was a bit strange to hear R.E.M. and The Smiths rattling in the background, I can certainly dig it. The menu’s a bit more extensive than the standard pub fare as well, so it’s a true dinner destination. And then of course there’s the beer. Yes, they have the traditional cask ales, but there are extensive draft offerings more in line with the newer neighborhood bars.

 

All and all, they’ve done an excellent job walking a fine line, adhering to their heritage while maintaining their relevance to a broader customer base. Well done, mates. Cheers!

 

Also in the pub’s founding year of 1550…

• Edward VI rules England.
• Julius III elected pope.
• Peace of Boulogne signed between England and France; marks the beginning of the end of the Eight Years’ War, the last major conflict between England and Scotland before unification.
• Chocolate introduced to Europe.

On Draught

 

Level Head Session IPA

Greene King

4% ABV

 

To adopt the English vernacular, I would say this is a proper IPA—or at least in line with the typical offerings in the States. That said, the low ABV is common amongst the English IPAs I’ve seen.

The Prospect of Whitby

Photos and First Impressions

View from across Wapping Wall

Streetside View

The Bar and Main Room

Large, Wood-Burning Fireplace

From the Rear, Looking Forward

An Ominous View of the Thames from the Back Deck

 

Chronicling from the Barstool

 

Formerly known as The Pelican and later The Devil’s Tavern, The Prospect of Whitby is the oldest riverside pub in London. Though the frame and paneling date to the 18th century and the facade to the 19th century, the flagstone flooring is original, going all the way back to 1520.

 

I learned this lineage only later, but I do recall the floor jumping out at me, as did the pewter-topped bar. Other standouts include the various barrels and ship masts that are built into the larger structure, often serving as key supports. I must admit, to some degree the old London pubs are starting to run together a bit, but these features make The Prospect of Whitby unique.

 

Despite its massive size, the pub manages to have cozy feel. There are several relatively closed-off sections for small groups to gather for more private conversation. On the more communal side of things, the main room features a large, wood-burning fireplace, which I imagine is a welcome gathering point in the colder months. Considering I visited on a more temperate day, I took advantage of the openair deck, with its view of London from the south bank of the Thames.

 

The pub’s sordid past also adds a layer of interest. Apparently, the old Devil’s Tavern moniker was well earned as the pub served as a frequent haunt of sailors, smuggler, and privateers. Perhaps that criminal element attracted late-1600s regular Lord George Jeffreys, better known as “the Hanging Judge” for his severity and favored sentence. Today, the pub pays an eerie homage to Jeffreys, with a makeshift gallows and noose prominently displayed off the back deck.

 

Also in the pub’s founding year of 1520…

• Henry VIII rules England, still on wife No. 1.
• Renaissance artist Raphael dies.
• Suleiman the Magnificent ascends to the Ottoman thrown.
• Ferdinand Magellan becomes first European to sail the Pacific.
• Hernán Cortés expelled from Tenochtitlán.
• Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II dies.

On Draught

 

Prospect of Whitby Bitter

Greene King

3.8% ABV

Though I’ve only had a handful, the cask bitter is definitely not my thing. Still, this one was leaps and bounds better than what Sam Smith makes. It’s a bit more malty and flavorful, but just so damn flat.