The City Of London (Seawall Tavern), Romney Marsh

Official site of The City Of London (Seawall Tavern) - www.thecityoflondonpub.co.uk

Official site of The City Of London (Seawall Tavern) - www.thecityoflondonpub.co.uk

Originally called The Seawall Tavern, this was a 16th Century inn. During a storm in 1775, a ship called City of London was blown ashore and collided with the inn, causing substantial damage. The ship's figurehead and timbers were used to repair the building, and the name was changed to reflect this. A few years back an attempt was made to erase this history and it was re-titled The Sports Bar, but the name never really stuck, althought the downstairs bar (now part youth-club, part dive) is still known as The Sport Bar. The single top floor bar, accessible from the main entrance from the car park to the seaward side, is small, friendly and has a lot of memorabilia dotted around. It also has an annoying gaming machine, and, worryingly, a DJ's pulpit (although I'm pleased to say this was not in use when I visited). There are also a big screen tv and a projector used for showing sports matches. Adjacent to the car park is a terrace primarily used by smokers. The welcome form the charming bar staff was very warm indeed, and the mature local population was friendly. There were 2 ales on, Betty Stoggs and Doombar, both in excellent condition. There was an innovative bar food menu which is well worth trying. The pub remains a memorial to thise who died in the 1775 storm, and it is well worth a visit both for its historical interest and for its food and drink.