Highwaymen, poets, a mob that nearly burned it down, the Spaniards Inn has seen it all. Here's the full story, and why it's still worth the pilgrimage.
The Spaniards Inn is one of London's oldest and most famous pubs, a 16th-century coaching inn on the edge of Hampstead Heath, steeped in literary and historical legend, with log fires, a beautiful garden, and a genuinely excellent kitchen. This is the complete guide to the Spaniards Inn.
- The Spaniards Inn dates to around 1585, one of London's oldest pubs
- Literary haunt of Keats, Byron, and Dickens; linked to highwayman Dick Turpin
- Log fires in winter, a celebrated garden in summer, and a strong food menu
- On the northern edge of Hampstead Heath, the perfect end to a Heath walk
- Dog-friendly and family-friendly
- Booking advisable for weekend meals, especially Sunday roasts
A Pub of Legends
The Spaniards Inn, on Spaniards Road at the northern edge of Hampstead Heath, has stood since around 1585, making it one of the oldest pubs in London. Over more than four centuries, it has accumulated a remarkable collection of literary and historical associations, some documented, some legendary, all part of its enduring appeal.
Literary Connections
The Spaniards has genuine literary credentials. John Keats, who wrote his great odes nearby, is said to have drunk here. Lord Byron is associated with the inn. Charles Dickens mentioned the Spaniards in The Pickwick Papers, and Bram Stoker referenced it in Dracula. For a single pub to feature in the lives and works of such figures speaks to its long-standing place in London's cultural life.
Dick Turpin
Legend links the Spaniards to the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin, who is said to have used the inn (some versions claim his father was the landlord, others that Turpin lurked here to waylay travellers on the road north). Like much of Turpin's mythology, the details are hazy, but the association adds to the inn's romantic, slightly dangerous historical atmosphere.
The Gordon Riots
During the Gordon Riots of 1780, the landlord of the Spaniards is said to have cunningly delayed a rioting mob bent on attacking nearby Kenwood House, plying them with free drink until soldiers arrived. Whether wholly true or embellished, it is a story the inn wears proudly.
James Fletcher, who has been drinking at the Spaniards for forty years, never tires of it. "I bring every visitor here," he said. "You sit by the fire in winter with a pint, under beams that are four hundred years old, and you think: Keats drank here, Dickens wrote about it, Dick Turpin supposedly lurked outside. And it's not a museum, it's a proper, living pub with good beer and great food. The garden in summer is one of the best in London. After a walk on the Heath, there's nowhere I'd rather end up. It's the soul of old Hampstead."
The Pub Today
Beyond its history, the Spaniards Inn is simply an excellent pub:
Atmosphere
The interior is everything a historic pub should be, low-beamed ceilings, small characterful rooms, and roaring log fires in winter. The sense of age and atmosphere is genuine, not manufactured. It is the ideal place for a cosy winter afternoon after a cold walk on the Heath.
The Garden
The Spaniards has one of the best pub gardens in London, a large, beautiful outdoor space that comes into its own in summer, when it fills with Heath walkers, families, and locals enjoying a drink and a meal in the open air. It is a destination in its own right on a warm day.
The Food
The kitchen at the Spaniards is genuinely good, well above typical pub fare. The menu offers quality pub classics and more ambitious dishes, and the Sunday roast is among the best in the area (see the Sunday lunch guide). Booking is advisable for weekend meals.
The Perfect End to a Heath Walk
The Spaniards Inn's greatest role is as the natural conclusion to a walk on Hampstead Heath. Its position at the Heath's northern edge, near Kenwood House and the Hill Garden, makes it perfectly placed to round off a ramble:
- A walk through the Kenwood woods, ending with lunch at the Spaniards
- A winter Heath walk followed by a pint by the fire
- A summer walk finishing with a drink in the garden
This combination, a walk on one of London's great green spaces, ending at one of its oldest and finest pubs, is one of the quintessential North London experiences, in any season. For the historical detail, see the dedicated Spaniards Inn history.
Practical Information
- Address: Spaniards Road, Hampstead, NW3 (northern edge of the Heath)
- History: Dating to c.1585, one of London's oldest pubs
- Highlights: Log fires, the celebrated garden, excellent food, literary heritage
- Food: Quality pub classics and more; excellent Sunday roast
- Booking: Advisable for weekend meals, especially Sunday lunch
- Dogs: Welcome, fitting for a Heath-side pub
- Getting there: A walk across the Heath, or buses along Spaniards Road; nearest Tubes Hampstead and Golders Green
The Spaniards Inn is a genuine London treasure, a 440-year-old pub where literary history, highwayman legend, log fires, a beautiful garden, and excellent food come together on the edge of Hampstead Heath. Whether you come for the history, the atmosphere, the food, or simply a well-earned pint after a Heath walk, it delivers one of the most characterful pub experiences in the city. For anyone exploring Hampstead and its Heath, a visit to the Spaniards is essential.
