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Detail Pages
The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping, E1
E1
E1W 3SP
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Prospect of Whitby
The Prospect of Whitby has laid claim to the title of the Thames' oldest riverside pub and it seems there is a fair bit of justification in this, as records suggest that a public house has stood on this site since the early 1500's. Previously known as the Pelican and the Devil's Tavern, the current name was adopted in the 19th Century in honour of a ship that used to moor outside. Appropriately for a pub of its age, there are plenty of stories of smugglers, pirates and other nefarious characters frequenting the pub and it has also had its fair share of famous visitors including Pepys, Dickens and the infamous Lord Chancellor Judge Jeffries who has a noose hanging from the river-side of the pub in his memory. Turner and Whistler have both produced sketches of the view from the pub, which is still a pretty inspirational sight today. Visitors in more recent times have included Muhammad Ali, Judy Garland and (ahem!) the cast of Minder, much of which is documented on various boards and clippings throughout the pub.
You enter into a quarry stone front bar and are immediately alerted to the fact that the floor is over 500 years old - the only surviving feature from the pub's earliest incarnations. The servery runs down the left hand wall with a nice pewter counter, which was apparently once the longest counter in Great Britain, and a pleasant dark wood, hop lined canopy. The bar back looks considerably more modern and had a smart pub mirror as a centrepiece. Pews, standard chairs and high stools make up the seating options in this front area, mostly arranged around a simple fireplace. Some small tables run down the right side opposite the bar with the space broken up by dark wood pillars and situated underneath a large ship's wheel suspended from the ceiling. To the rear, the pub opens out slightly with a nice recessed fireplace in the rear left corner, several more tables and lots of interesting nautical items on display. To the left is a separate split level room which offers those on the upper seating level the chance to enjoy fine views over the river. It's mostly benches and standard chairs here with pictures of ships and other seafaring bits on show. Moving further to the left, you eventually reach the sheltered garden which is overhung by a large willow and would make a lovely shady spot in the summer months with its fine views over to Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf. A boundary stone on the far wall marks the line between Wapping and Limehouse whilst a board explains that the first fuchsia plant in the UK was traded from this site. Stairs near to the front door lead up to a function room and riverside terrace, but sadly this was roped off on my visit.
The ale range was much more extensive than I had expected with the options on this visit comprising Westerham 1730, Hardy and Hanson Rocking Rudolph, Fullers London Pride, St Austell Tribute, Wadworth 6X, Portobello American Pale Ale and Wells Bombardier. Old Rosie cider had recently been taken off the final pump. I had a good pint of the 1730 which went down nicely as I explored the pub at length.
This is a great pub with lots of interesting stories and enough character to just about make you able to visualise how it might have been all those years ago. I enjoyed trying to pick my way through its interesting history and was amazed at how much it could lay claim to. A good pint made this visit all the more worthwhile and it would appear that they are not content to let standards slide in the hope that the tourists will take care of trade. I would say it is one of those pubs everyone should visit at least once.
On 26th January 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Prospect of Whitby
Situated on the north side of the Thames, this place is a bit of a tourist trap. It’s a Taylor Walker pub and as such I was expecting a bit more service-wise than I’ve received on my two recent visits (instead I got dopey staff, a mixed-up food order, no understanding of how cask ale works and a number of redundant handpumps). The pub has two floors, the ground floor bar area having a flagstone floor, a pewter bar plus various maritime knick-knacks and a fake gas wood-effect fire. There’s an upstairs room I preferred though it’s a bit more of a restaurant affair - it’s laid out in two distinct rooms, nicely decorated with dark wood panelling, carpet, beams and muted lighting at the front end and a more spartan wood-boarding to the rear. It’s all rather atmospheric. The rear area affords rather delicious views across the Thames to Canary Wharf and a little terrace makes for an ideal summer’s pint if you aren’t bothered by the swinging noose (a reference to the nearby pirate-hanging). The pub plays up the ‘historic’ factor to the max and there are plenty of painted board snippets around the place claiming (or in some cases, merely speculating) bits of history. Ale-wise it’s rather hit-and-miss; I’ve had decent pints of Purity Gold and TT Landlord from the row of handpumps but likewise I’ve seen pints of froth being passed off by the staff.
I certainly think it’s worth a visit here to sample to atmosphere and décor but don’t stray too far out of the ‘pint and a view’ mindset is my advice. Could and should be better but probably coasts on the bus loads of tourists. Gets a 7 from me but that's more to do with the fabric of the pub.
On 6th May 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Prospect of Whitby
RR pretty much covers everything below. The beer selection was Doom Bar, Adnams Broadside, GK IPA and Suffolk Swift(3%) with Spitfire and Pride clips reversed. The pewter topped bar with barrel inserts is worthy of note and a framed information board makes the claim it is the longest of such type surviving in London. Various marine/riverine paraphernalia, including model ships and a suspended ship's wheel. An old pillar has a winch attached. Good river views especially from the balconies at the upper level.
On 14th March 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about Prospect of Whitby
I’ve visited this pub a number of times over recent years, and have generally enjoyed the experience. It was refurbished a few years ago, and although some changes were made, primarily to the furnishings as I recall, the main features of the pub, such as the ancient flagstones and the pewter bar counter top, have remained in place. It claims to be oldest riverside pub in London, but although it’s not the only pub to make that claim it’s certainly a contender for the title and is definitely one of the oldest. It was originally named “The Devil’s Tavern”, but was given its current name in 1777 after the name of one of colliers’ boats that brought coal down from Newcastle. The interior is decorated with all manner of maritime artefacts and memorabilia, including several model ships, some in glass cases. Other features include the many painted boards scattered around the place with snippets of the pub’s history, and a large stone fireplace that had a gas wood effect fire on the go. The latter was clearly welcome by the couple who were sitting on top of it on my visit, as there was clearly something wrong with the heating on that day. There is also an upstairs room that can effectively be used as a restaurant. A somewhat macabre feature of the exterior is the noose that hangs out over the river, as a reference to Execution Dock that used to be a few hundred yards to the West, and where those found guilty of piracy – most notably Captain Kidd – were hanged.
I believe that it is still a Spirit Group pub – at least the lack of ale selection would suggest that it still is. They had on two or three mainstream ales (my chums and I went for the Sharp’s Doom Bar), plus something called “Swift” which turned out to be another weak 3% ale from the Greene King stable. We spotted that in time, and thus managed to avoid it. There is some seating outside, from which one can enjoy some superb views of the river. I don’t think that I would recommend a visit to this pub just for the ales, but it is worth a visit for the history, attractive interior, and the excellent river views best enjoyed on a nice day.
On 7th March 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Prospect of Whitby
London's oldest riverside pub, the site dating back to 1520. Large narrow bar overlooking the Thames. selection of real ales on sale. this is a must for those drinkers who like to read about history whilst supping. 15 minutes from Wapping Station
On 30th January 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]