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The Old Nuns Head, Nunhead, SE15

15 Nunhead Green
SE15
SE15 3QQ
Phone: 02076394007

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Pub Type

Punch Taverns

Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Quinno _ left this review about The Old Nuns Head

Hidden round the corner of a bland new build is this lovely Brewers Tudor-style timbered building with leaded windows. Staple shaped interior via two knock-throughs that hint at the previous partitions though it retains some old touches like boxed wood panelling on all the walls. The annoying hipster chairs got on my wick and the brightly-coloured mural on the chimney breast threatened the same but at least I didn’t have to sit on it. Seven pumps with six ales (split between Belleville and ELB) and Westons cider. Belleville was a new one on me so I went for the Session IPA (fine), Brownstone (under-par – aspiratored beyond reason is my educated guess) and the ELB Quadrant (good). Pints well-over 4 quid, aiming at the moneyed end of the market. It’s worth popping in if you are nearby but I wouldn’t necessarily divert for it. 6.5

On 10th December 2017 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5050 recommendations about 5033 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


Malden man left this review about The Old Nuns Head

A large timbered pub facing the green with the exterior signage embellished with street art, inside is a large boarded space having leaded windows and with the room wrapping around and slightly returning one side behind the bar area where incongruously a suit of armour stands guard over bookshelves, board games and a movie camera. The room has good quality dark wood panelling, an unusual brightly coloured mural on a chimney breast, booth seating features opposite the bar which was guarded by a young and enthusiastic pub "labradoodle". Stairs lead up to a lounge which acts as a function room, various events were listed such as a comedy night, a music quiz, DJ nights plus elsewhere Greek grill night and a Nigerian street food evening. The bar runs along the wall opposite the entrance and has large industrial style lamps dangling from the ceiling above. The barman was friendly and clearly enthusiastic about his job and beer in general, eight handpumps with seven in use at the time, Twickenham Redhead, Big Smoke Solaris and also Electric Eye, Laine Doubloon, Belleville Northcote Blonde, the local Brick Brewery Kinsale and Old Rosie cider. Food is served and there is an open to view kitchen to the rear of one end of the bar.
There are benches to the front facing the green and a partly covered garden to the rear.
This was by a distance the pick of the pubs on Nunhead Green although the Beer Shop was closed until 4pm so I couldn't compare that one. I would have no hesitation in returning here.

On 14th May 2017 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1707 recommendations about 1681 pubs]


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Pub SignMan left this review about The Old Nuns Head

This is a large inter-war roadside pub built in Brewer's Tudor style and currently operated by the Laine Brewing Company, who have a number of similar, community focussed pubs spread across the capital. A former multiple room interior has been knocked through, leaving a long U-shaped single room which runs around a centrally positioned servery. The corner entrance leads you into a quaint lounge area on the left hand side of the building, where standard and banquette seating has been arranged under pastel shaded walls decorated with old paintings. A nice fireplace stands on the end wall and there was also a nook with shelves full of bric-a-brac and, apropos of nothing, a full suit of armour stood near the toilets (a quirk repeated in the People's Park Tavern - another Laine Brewing pub). The servery runs along the back wall of the pub's mid-section and has what appears to be a relatively new counter and bar back, with the surrounding walls decorated in modern floral wallpaper. Opposite there are a few comfy looking padded bench booths, each lit by small, candle-shaped, wall mounted lights. The right hand side of the pub is a fair bit larger than the lounge and has a couple of banquettes either side of the main entrance, with standard tables and chairs filing the rest of the bare boarded space. Another smart fireplace can be found on the far wall with a nice mirror above and several other mirrors positioned down the same side. The room has a nice traditional feel to it, perhaps as a result of the high dark wood panels, upon which a collection of beer bottles can be viewed and a large set of bull's horns hang. The rear corner was very dark but hinted at further seating and a few people seemed to be heading this way, perhaps to a rear garden? Stairs lead up to a space which a sign described as the 'Famous Panelled Lounge', but a ticketed gig was in progress when I arrived, so I was unable to take a look. Suffice to say, its fame had previously passed me by. The pub puts on a regularly changing street food menu, with some interesting Thai dishes available on this particular visit.
I think I counted eight handpulls in total, with options on this visit comprising Laines Stout and 48, Gipsy Hill Beatnik and Southpaw, Hackney New Zealand Pale Ale and ELB Foundation Bitter. The keg range included several more Laines brews plus some other small batch stuff. The Beatnik, served to me by a very friendly and helpful barman, cost £4.05, but I did notice a sign stating that all cask beer is £3.00 a pint on Mondays. Sadly, the £4.05 got me a pretty ropey pint of the Beatnik, which tainted an otherwise enjoyable visit.
I quite liked the feel of this pub and enjoyed relaxing in the dark, atmospheric main bar. I would like to think that the bad pint was a one off and I would certainly consider giving this place a second chance, especially if it means I can take a look at their renowned lounge.

On 10th February 2016 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3102 recommendations about 3102 pubs]


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john gray left this review about The Old Nuns Head

Nice locals pub selling food but they have 8 handpumps.Good outside space.Couple of Twickenham beers amongst the 8 beers and a very good pint of Bellville -Commonside pale.

On 31st May 2014 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]


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Rex Rattus left this review about The Old Nuns Head

This looks like an inter war pub that has been given something of an upmarket makeover, although thankfully they haven’t gone overboard. It’s bare-boarded now, with the multi-room structure of the past now opened up to form quite a large drinking area, although there is some separation in the front bar area achieved by large arches. Furnishings are almost entirely “normal” tables and chairs, although there a couple of sofas, and a large number of the chairs were re-cycled small, simple, wooden school chairs with the wooden pouch on the back for the student sitting behind to keep his or her books etc. I’ve seen these in a few pubs recently – enough for it to be trend. The original wood panelling on the walls remains, which allows it to retain something of a traditional pub feel. There are a few picnic benches in the front, as well as a small courtyard at the back with a few more benches plus an abstract mural on one of the walls. Near where I sat in the main bar area there was a fireplace, with alcoves beside it containing split logs – presumably as decoration in the summer, but perhaps they are put to more practical use in the winter.
The ales on were Adnam’s Bitter, Deuchars IPA, and Black Sheep Golden Sheep (£3.30 a pint), with another pump with the clip reversed. They do lunch from 12.00 – 4.00, and a separate dinner menu from 6.00 onwards. I had a pretty decent chicken, bacon and brie wrap and a few leaves for £4.50 (or the more minimalist 4.5 as the menu styled the prices for some reason). Not really basic pub grub – the burger, etc, was £9.50 (sorry, 9.5). It was desperately quiet when I was in there at Wednesday lunchtime (I was the only customer), although a small group of three or four arrived just as I was leaving. I hope it gets more custom in the weekends or evenings. This struck me as yet another fairly good pub, without being anything special. But there was a table with leaflets and the like on it – including London Drinker, which is a definite plus. I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again, although I expect that I would have this as my local if I lived here, especially as the other two pubs within a stone’s throw are nowhere near as good.

On 2nd September 2010 - rating: 6
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]


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train man left this review about The Old Nuns Head

Why do these places think that sofas & low tables are comfortable in a pub, and how do they make money from the glass-of-orange-will-last-me-all-match types that this stylee attracts? That said, the other side did have better wooden tables & chairs and there were four ales on incl Spitfire & Everards Sunchaser, albeit £3.10.

On 17th May 2009 - rating: 5
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]


Please Note: This review is over a year old.


john mcgraw left this review about The Old Nuns Head

Very comfortable pub serving up to 4 real ales.Very friendly staff who seem to know about beer.All beers tried were in excellent condition.Well worth a visit.

On 3rd March 2007 - rating: 10
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]