The Grapes Pub, on Narrow Street in Limehouse London E14. Join me for a tour of this historic Pub
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- Опубліковано 20 лют 2023
- The Grapes Pub, 76 Narrow Street, London E14 8BP. Join me for a tour of this great old East End Pub, & walk in the footsteps of Charles Dickens + many other historical figures. Recorded on Friday 17th February 2023.
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(History of the Pub)
The Grapes is a Grade II listed public house situated directly on the north bank of the Thames in London's Limehouse area, with a veranda overlooking the water. To its landward side, the pub is found at number 76 in Narrow Street, flanked by former warehouses now converted to residential and other uses.
The Grapes is owned in partnership by the actor Sir Ian McKellen, the theatre and film director Sean Mathias, and Evgeny Lebedev, publisher of the Evening Standard newspaper.
The current building dates from the 1720s and is on the site of a pub built in 1583. It was formerly a working-class tavern serving the dockers of the Limehouse Basin. In the 1930s it sold beer from the adjacent brewery owned by Taylor Walker. It survived the intense bombing of the area in World War II, and is just outside the Docklands commercial zone built in the 1980s.
In 1661, Samuel Pepys' diary records his trip to lime kilns at the jetty just along from The Grapes. The (Lime Kilns) is where Limehouse gets its name from.
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In 1820, the young Charles Dickens visited his godfather in Limehouse and knew the district well for 40 years. The Grapes appears, scarcely disguised, in the opening chapter of his novel Our Mutual Friend ⬇️
"A tavern of dropsical appearance ... long settled down into a state of hale infirmity. It had outlasted many a sprucer public house, indeed the whole house impended over the water but seemed to have got into the condition of a faint-hearted diver, who has paused so long on the brink that he will never go in at all."
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Other popular writers were drawn by huddled buildings, wharves and docks by the bustling river: Oscar Wilde in The Picture of Dorian Gray; Arthur Conan Doyle, who sent Sherlock Holmes in search of opium provided by the local Chinese immigrants; and, more recently, Peter Ackroyd in Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem.
Hope you all enjoyed the tour = Join me soon, for the follow up piece, to this one "A tour down Narrow Street = to Ratcliffe Cross Stairs" ⬅️ a very interesting place, where historic events occurred.
Drank in the Grapes, a beauiful pub where the locals make you feel at home.
Great old pub, isn't it 👌 & you're right, about the locals making you feel welcome 🍻✌
I've been through that area and took a pic in front of that pub in Dec.2023, my friend lived on Approach Basin in the 4 tall matching buildings. We walked all around the docks and the park, nice area. London is a nice city (from USA)
Hi there. Sorry for my late reply = I'm on holiday in Buckinghamshire at the moment, & am just catching up now. Ah rite 😊 Yes, definitely a great area to have a wander around, isn't it!! Do love this part of London tbh. Very best wishes from West Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, until I get back home, to the East End of London ✌️
Thank you! I love to explore old places like this!
I was just listening to a New Sherlock Holmes audio book mystery that features The Grapes as a meeting place between Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson and a despicable murderer they are trying to capture. The story is called The Barrel of Lagavulin.
Hi Ann. I'm really sorry for the late reply = I'm having ongoing notification issues, & only noticed your comment, because of a more recent one!! Yet, I had no notification for your comment!! I hate that "as I pride myself, on giving everyone an individual reply. Sorry Ann.
No problem at all, glad you enjoyed 😊. Yes, you can't best an old place & a bit of history, like this ay 👌. Ow rite, I like a good audio book, & will check that out!! Cheers Ann = audio book - Sherlock Holmes - & an historical pub reference "3 of my favourite things" So, I'll definitely be giving the new Sherlock Holmes audio-book a listen! Thanks again, & sorry once again for the late reply ✌️
Luke did you know that the Window TAX was the origin of the phrase "Daylight Robbery!" Another great video.
Hi Fiona. I'm really sorry for the late reply = I'm still having ongoing notification issues! I got no notification for Yours & Ann's comments = & only noticed them "because of a more recent comment." I hate that = As "I pride myself on giving everyone an individual reply." Yes, you just reminded me there = I knew I'd heard that saying & it's origins, before. Interesting how many of these sayings come about, isn't it!! Thanks Fiona & sorry once again, for the late reply! ✌️
Hi Luke. I've just found you!! I'm a real lover of old boozers! I've always loved the look of this place. But it's so annoying to get to. (I live in Covent Garden). I've heard Sir Ian has a pub quiz in the Grapes every Mon. Sometimes he even joins in.
Hi Lloyd. Sorry for the late reply mate = I've been really busy recently, & am just catching up + am having some notification issues! Welcome to the page, = you're more than welcome here!! I'm covering a lot of the "still remaining" lovely old London pubs, at the moment! Yeah, it can be a bit of a grind, to get to "especially from central London." Yes, apparently "the quiz nights, are really popular." Nice to see an old survivor like this, ay Lloyd 🍻👌. Once again, sorry for the late reply! ✌️
I love old pubs too. Can't stand gastro pubs. I live in Covent Garden. So full of tourists. I love finding backstreet boozers. There's a lovely old 1 in Waterloo. (The King's Arms). It's down a beautiful old Victorian st. (Rouppell St). There are always film crews down there. I've been to so many old pubs. So important to keep them going. Ther's nothing like a few vinos, fun conversation & if u can get a packet of pork scratchings. Even better! One of my fave puhs is the King Charles in King's Cross. It was nearly closed down. But the lovely residents saved it. They all threw some money in & now the community owns it. So glad the greedy developers didn''t get their hands on it!
Afternoon Lloyd. Hope you're well? I'm totally with you on that one mate!! Can't abide modern or gsstro pubs. Give us a "decent old untouched tucked away boozer" any day of the week!! Ah rite 👍 thanks Lloyd = I'll put those onto my list!! Cheers mate "appreciate that." Yes, you're 100% correct there = So important to keep them going!! We've lost far too many already, ay. Long may the survivors last 🤞🍻. Thanks again for the info on the pubs, Lloyd "love covering traditional old boozers." 👍✌️
I lived opposite can I block a flat School Brighton sea buildings
Ah rite 😊. You'll remember the area well then. Love this part of London tbh 👍✌️