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Detail Pages
The Ferry House, E14
E14
E14 3DT
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Ferry House
This pub would seem to date from 1722 (rebuilt c. 1749), built on the site of an earlier pub which served the former ferry and claiming the title of oldest pub on the Island (Isle of Dogs), hardly difficult given that there are now only six; around 1900, there were 60.
Suitably backstreet, the pub features a wonderful and nowadays sadly rare Courage box sign, which, amazingly, is still illuminated (see photo), a common sight in my youth.
The interior is simple, with a slight nautical theme, a vintage bar back with parapet displaying ‘COURAGE…THE FERRY HOUSE…COURAGE’, backlit in red. The interior has an orange and white note, knickknacks, ferns and conventional furniture; customers at the time of my Wednesday 9.50pm visit were older locals, in good spirits, obviously well lubricated, dockworkers’ language flowing freely, though harmless.
The cask front amounted to three unused pumps then Brockley Pale, in decent nick, £2.50 the half, served by a friendly barman.
The oldest pub on the Island, and easily the best.
On 26th June 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2266 recommendations about 2218 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Ferry House
The Ferry House is the self professed oldest pub on the Island. Its striking red and white exterior includes an impressive illuminated Courage Brewery sign, which was shining like a beacon in the setting darkness when I left the pub late evening.
Inside it’s quite a small pub with a main bar room wrapped around an L shaped bar and then a smaller snug room to the right, next to the toilets and a passage way that takes you out to nice little sunken walled garden area outback. The interior is wood panelling with an equally striking colour scheme that WhatPub described as white and bright orange when the interior was made over in 2016. It’s since mellowed to something closer to a light brown but you still get the feeling that someone had fun with some bright paint pots. Each area contains a flat screen tele and the larger one in the small bar area does tend to dominate this space a bit. But they were showing Wimbledon muted and as it was a game I was interested in I wasn’t too bothered.
The bar supports four ale hand pumps but only one is used with a pleasant well kept Brockley Brewery Pale Ale at a very wallet pleasing £4.30 a pint. With good friendly and efficient service from the young barmaid behind the jump this is definitely one of those pubs where if there’s only enough demand for one ale make sure it’s a well kept one, and this was probably my favourite of the three ‘Dogs pubs I tried last night.
Footnote: the above review was written before reading the review below, suffice to say my experience was very different. However the pub dog was not in for my visit so it remains unknown how I would have got on for attention against him. But as I tend to get on with our canine friends I am sure he would have allowed me to be served first.
On 4th July 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2279 recommendations about 2135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Ferry House
The only real ale they had on was Courage Best. It was only £2.50 a pint, but a better ale would be welcome. There were only a handful of regulars in when I dropped in for a pint on a Wednesday afternoon. It's a fairly small pub; there was a dartboard, and furniture comprises a few stools round the bar plus normal tables and chairs. It's a real pub that displays no airs and graces. I felt very comfortable in there, and I definitely recommend dropping in for a pint or two if you're in the area (as long as you're happy to drink Courage Best!).
On 25th March 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2607 recommendations about 2521 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about Ferry House
Old local type of pub. Sells Courage Best. Old East End pictures around the place. Boasts the oldest pub in the area.
On 20th February 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 759 recommendations about 721 pubs]