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.