This Grade II listed hostelry was built in 1884 and inside has an original tiled mural of shipwrights at work. The pub's traditional style has been retained including the rare central island bar. An impressive 6 real ales are on offer, served by the efficient and friendly staff. Located near to the London Bridge public transport hub with numerous buses passing by. The river, Tower Bridge and the City are also close by, making the pub popular with commuters, tourists and locals alike. There is also good homemade food available lunchtimes and evenings.
One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest
Listed status: II
By a former entrance lobby is a splendid painted tiled panel of around 1900 showing shipwrights at work and traffic on the river. There is an island servery: originally this would have been surrounded by a series of separate compartments (the multiple outside doors would each have given access to a separate drinking space.)
Three-storey pub of brick built in 1884 with a ground-floor wooden exterior of late C19 or early C20. Note on the exterior a number of stone carvings picked out in cream on a deep blue background and in particular the crouching Caryatid with outstretched arms above the right hand corner doors.
The left hand doors originally led to a vestibule entrance lobby and on the left hand wall is a splendid painted tiled panel of around 1900 showing shipwrights (arms and all) at work beside a choppy River Thames. A steam tug tows barges down the river. The painting is signed by Charles Evans & Co., a west London firm of tile and stained glass manufacturers.
The interior consists of a central island bar, originally this would have been surrounded by at least three separate compartments (the multiple outside doors would each have given access to a separate drinking space.) but the partitions having been removed many years ago. Markings on the floor on the right show where one partition was situated; also, there is a change in the bar top on the rear left indicating where another one might have been situated.
The counter front looks inter-war with the rear section being a fielded panelled style whereas that on the front is upright panels but is also of a canted style. The island gantry-style back fitting is wholly modern. In a disused passage, now part of the route to the gents (now downstairs) has a colourful tiled dado and a tall door with inter-war frosted glass in a floor to ceiling screen.
This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 1 regular beer.
Shipwrights Arms, London
Source: National