CAMRA’s London Pubs Group is hoping to encourage London branches to produce articles for London Drinker featuring possible local inventory pubs in their area. By local inventory pubs we mean those that do not possess sufficient original layout or historic features to qualify for our national pub heritage listings but which have surviving features, or remnants of them, which are of interest. This can also include pubs where the interior has no historic features but the exterior is either of high quality or has specific features of interest.
My partner Robert Preston and I decided to start the ball rolling and thought that Clapham, in our South West London branch area, would make an interesting start to this endeavour. Here are our findings. The following could be used for a tour of pubs in Clapham.
Prince of Wales 38 Old Town: features of interest include a falcon, the emblem of Lacons Brewery. The two delightful tiled fireplaces in the pub contain the emblem and it can be found outside the pub as well.
Sun 47 Old Town: the stained glass windows show evidence of its former Charrington’s ownership.
Rose & Crown 2 The Polygon: the main feature of interest here is the fine exterior with its Simonds livery announcing its ‘NOTED ALES & STOUT’.
Alexandra 14 Clapham Common South Side: the outstanding feature of this pub is its fabulous exterior that includes a dome and polychromatic brickwork.
Jane Jephcote