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Detail Pages
The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon), EC1
EC1
EC1M 3JF
Pub Type
J D WetherspoonReviews (Current Rating Average: 5½ of 10) see review guidelines
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
Close to Farringdon station,this isn't the largest 'spoons with an L shaped bar and a mix of high tables near the bar,dining style tables elsewhere and loos on the ground floor.It can get busy and therefore noisy especially after work.
Talking to the manager the ale policy here is to offer the Trio of Doom and three guests ales which on my trip were ELB Cowcatcher NBSS 4,Cairngorm IPA NBSS 3.5 and Oakham JHB.Good to see some higher ABV options and their conditioning would be enough to warrant another visit.
On 18th December 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3126 recommendations about 3126 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
A totally identikit JDW that was visited as its in the GBG 2025 (and last three years). Looks like the ground floor of an office block. Not massively exciting beer range but the Exmoor Gold was in decent enough condition. Bouncers - who looked like they had never seen any action on the doors. £4.29 a pint - so pricier than your average.
On 8th January 2025
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1772 recommendations about 1745 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
Fairly busy branch of Wetherspoon's just across the Farringdon Road from Farringdon station. Bar staff didn't exactly look busy, but it did seem to take a while to get served. Regular beers here are Greene King Abbot & IPA & Sharp's Doom Bar. Guest beers were Loddon Dragonfly, Brain's St David's Ale & Cairngorm Wildcat. There is no real cider in this branch.
I managed to bag a table by the windows, which was a nice place for a bit of people watching. My St David's Ale was in a good condition, but a dark beer or a cider would have been preferable.
On 2nd March 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3409 recommendations about 3407 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
A city Spoons, handy for Farringdon station, with a wood interior dating from the 'library' period which has actually weathered in quite pleasantly. It is not over-large, with just the one L-shaped room with L-shaped bar at the back. The beer was a little disappointing, with just Old Hooky, Maxim Maximus and Batemans XXXB alongside the usuals. Sadly the Batemans was approaching vinegar and the replacement Hooky was not a great deal better ("well they've been drinking it ok all day..."). It would be a tolerable pub if they got the beer right
On 28th June 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3890 recommendations about 3822 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
Located just up from Farringdon station. Quite a plain L shaped interior. Maybe not one to seek out but does the job as a pit stop on a crawl.
On 8th October 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3035 recommendations about 2965 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
A very run of the mill paint by numbers ‘Spoons that is fairly close to Farringdon station and as referred to by a previous reviewer handy if you need some breakfast and the loo, which is exactly what we utilised it for post emergence at the nearby station.
Fairly standard offerings on the pumps as well but this being the festive season there was a reasonably well kept Butcombe Chris Moose which was fairly understated for a winter ale, but you can’t blame the pub for that. However, it did take a lot longer to reach me than it should have as I got the trainee barmaid on her first day, which again I guess I can’t blame the pub for as that’s something you should expect as part of the potential package when you walk through the door of a ‘spoons..
Also for me, not one I would make an effort to rush back to.
On 5th December 2018
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2320 recommendations about 2168 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
Run of the mill Spoons handy for the station. My pint of Acorn pale was in excellent shape.
On 7th June 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1938 recommendations about 1794 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
Standard-issue Wetherspoons, with a large 'L'-shaped bar. Used to have a reasonable range of beer from the banks of six handpumps, but I have found a disappointing selection in more recent visits, with a total of seven different beers on this occasion, and only the Welton's Hurricane and Itchen Valley New Hampshire (expensive for the chain at £3.40) being of much interest.
On 18th August 2017
- rating: 6
[User has posted 9061 recommendations about 9061 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
This pub is named after the eponymous 14th and 15th century lollard who came to a sticky end at St. Giles' Fields in 1417. This pub has been constructed within what today would be Oldcastle's estate; he is said to have been the inspiration for Shakespeare's Falstaff.
This is a slightly sub-standard 'spoons in the ground floor of an old office block, overlooking Farringdon station and the crossrail development. You probably know what to expect so an in-depth description is unwarranted.
Ales: six, including Adnam's Ghost Ship and Fuller's London Pride at £1.93 a half and fine.
I can't think of any compelling reason to return, save for the very early opening times (if you need some breakfast and the loo) and weekend openings when this area is otherwise dead.
Damn fine chips though...
On 11th February 2017
- rating: 3
[User has posted 2307 recommendations about 2251 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Sir John Oldcastle (JD Wetherspoon)
This is a routine 'spoons situated on a corner plot close to Farringdon Station. Large full height windows on two elevations provide good natural light, a quality lacking in many of the brand's shop conversions, there are also rather spectacular external floral displays. Carpeted as they all are, a diamond pattern here, walls and columns are wood panelled. The usual write ups were abundant in here, amongst others there were eulogies to the River Fleet, Fleet Prison, Smithfield Market, Little Italy and someone called the Duchess of Newcastle aka "Mad Marge"....pretty sure I've met her.
Two banks of pumps on the L-shaped bar, one with the usual suspects, the other was rather cider heavy with a cider festival due to commence. Adnam's Juniper Saison was viewed with deep suspicion, the only other guest ale was Welton's English Pride. After a much screwed up train journey taking over an hour I plumped for a nice calming 7% cider which started to make it all worthwhile.
On 8th July 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1710 recommendations about 1683 pubs]