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Flask, London

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Operator: Fuller's
77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate, London, N6 6BU (View on Google Map)
  • Historic Interior

Acquired by Fuller's from M&B in February 2009, a 17th century pub listed on CAMRA's Regional inventory of historic pub interiors, originally two buildings now forming one pub, The old servery (still in occasional use) is an exceptional and highly unusual piece of pub architecture with its glazed sash windows and aged shelving and panelling. The two rooms either side retain much from an inter-war makeover. The newer areas to the left to not impinge on the character of this older part.

On bank holidays the pub has Sunday times for opening and food.

it was also known as the Upper Flask, the Lower Flask being the pub in Hampstead.

There are legends of ghosts and Dick Turpin is said to have hidden in the cellars. More plausibly, the 18th century painter, engraver and satirist William Hogarth, and revolutionary thinker and philosopher Karl Marx are said to have been regulars. The Flask is one of the area pubs where the ceremony of the 'Swearing of the Horns' takes place. Large asphalted front yard and garden which incorporates a covered area too. 5 handpumps on the main bar counter and 1 on a smaller one by the entrance door. Underground: Archway or Highgate. Buses: 143 & 210 pass by, 263 terminates in Highgate Village nearby.

Historic Interest

Grade II listing:- Public house. Possibly early C18, partially rebuilt c1767 by William Carpenter and with various later alterations and additions. EXTERIOR: 3 storeys and cellars with 5 windows. Building to left, 2 storeys 2 windows and double hipped roof. Brick refacing with red brick bands between recessed sashes with gauged red brick flat arches. Ground floor with C20 wooden porch. Parapet. 2 storey building has multi-colour brick ground floor and stucco 1st floor. Wooden shopfront of 3 reeded pilasters, frieze and cornice above which is an oval tablet inscribed "WC 1767". Right hand forward return of former stabling is formed by the rear of Nos 23 to 25 South Grove (qv). INTERIOR: upper bar in later building to left remodelled late C20. Lower bars in original building, named the Snug and Committee Room by early 1995, with 1930s matchboard panelling and fireplaces; these spaces divided by central bar enclosed by sliding sashes with glazing bars, perhaps a mixture of late C18 and 1930s work. Behind it a dog-leg stair with turned balusters on a closed string, c1700, with some panelling. Upper floors not inspected. HISTORICAL NOTE: during the early C18 the Manorial Court was held here. (Survey of London: Vol. XVII, The Village of Highgate (Parish of St Pancras part I): London: -1936: 111-113; VCH: Middlesex : 6: London: 138).

Information for this venue is provided by the North London Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
Camden
Last updated
20/04/2025
Last surveyed
23/07/2024
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
Fuller Smith & Turner
Pub ID
NLD/5635
Asset of Community Value

Two star - A pub interior of very special national historic interest

Listed status: II

The main feature here is the very old servery in the older, right-hand side of the pub.

This pub consists of two buildings now forming one pub in an attractive leafy part of smart Highgate. The original, possibly early 18th-century, three-storey section on the right (partly rebuilt about 1767 by William Carpenter) has a plaque noting an earlier incarnation, ‘The Flask 1663’. Here there are two old rooms with the servery (now used for storage) between them having sets of impressive, well preserved glazed sash windows while the shelving and panelling inside seem of real age (possibly mid-19th-century if not earlier). The public can now walk between the two areas but originally they were separate, and each room has a typical 1930s fire surround with thin brickwork. The newer part of the pub, up a few steps on the left, had an extensive makeover in the 1930s from which time we have the plain counter front. In more recent years this area of the pub has been expanded considerably to the left and rear and the atmosphere here is quite modern.

Monday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Tuesday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Wednesday
11:00am - 11:00pm
Thursday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Friday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Saturday
10:00am - 11:00pm
Sunday
Noon - 10:30pm
Monday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Tuesday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Wednesday
11:00am - 10:00pm
Thursday
10:00am - 10:00pm
Friday
10:00am - 10:00pm
Saturday
10:00am - 10:00pm
Sunday
Noon - 9:00pm

TasteMatch

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Current beers

This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 3 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

Dark Star - Hophead TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Dark Star - Hophead
Dark Star - Hophead Session Golden Ale • 3.4% Spotted 3 times.
Dark Star - Hophead
Dark Star - Hophead

This beer is served regularly and Spotted 3 times. at Flask, London.

ABV 3.4%
Dispense Handpump
Style Session Golden Ale
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Fuller's - ESB TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Fuller's - ESB
Fuller's - ESB Premium Bitter • 5.5% Spotted 3 times.
Fuller's - ESB
Fuller's - ESB

This beer is served regularly and Spotted 3 times. at Flask, London.

ABV 5.5%
Dispense Handpump
Style Premium Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

Fuller's - London Pride TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Fuller's London Pride Pumpclip
Fuller's - London Pride Session Bitter • 4.1%
Fuller's London Pride Pumpclip
Fuller's - London Pride

This beer is served regularly at Flask, London.

ABV 4.1%
Dispense Handpump
Style Session Bitter
Colour
Vegan No
Gluten Free No

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Facilities
Lunchtime Meals Lunchtime Meals
Evening Meals Evening Meals
Garden Garden
Family Friendly Family Friendly
Parking Parking
Free parking nearby
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Real Fire Real Fire
Restaurant Restaurant
Smoking Smoking
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Member Discount Scheme Member Discount Scheme
10% off real ales
Transport
Close to bus routes
TFL: 263
Close to London Underground/Overground/DLR (900m)
Highgate

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