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11-13 April 2025
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Just off Fleet Street near the Royal Courts of Justice, the barristers' chambers in the Temple and the Aldwych, this is a real gem of a one room pub, with an additional drinking and eating room upstairs. The ceiling is packed with the landlord's collection of beer mats, and the walls and back bar - and more! - can only be described as a mecca of advertising signs for beers, sherry, port, cigarettes, tobacco and cigars of the past. There is also a shelf of Edgar Wallace crime novels, pub guides and other books that will make you want to linger.
The choice of cask ales, sourced nationally, may be more limited post-pandemic but two to three should be available. Good value pub grub is served at weekday lunchtimes. It's a "quiet" pub with no music; laptops, mobiles and so on are not allowed. Please note that, in this legal area, it does not open at all at weekends.
Historic Interest
There has been a pub here since at least 1777. Past customers of the Essex Head Tavern (known as Sam's for the publican Samuel Greaves, an old servant of Mr. Thrale - of H. Thrale & Co., brewers at the Anchor Brewery Southwark) included Dr. Samuel Johnson and Richard Brocklesbury who are said to have founded the Essex Head Club here in 1783. Rebuilt in 1891 as the Essex Head, it took its present name in 1975 to celebrate the centenary of the famous crime writer's birth.
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This Pub serves 3 changing beers and 0 regular beers.
Edgar Wallace, London
Changing beers typically include: Southwark - Bankside Blonde , Timothy Taylor - Landlord , Wainwright - Gold
Lunchtime Meals
Garden
Family Friendly
Dog Friendly
Function Room
Smoking
Wi Fi
Real Ale
Quiet
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