Spaniards Inn
A historic English pub on Spaniards Road between Hampstead and Highgate in London.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Spaniards Inn is a historic public house on Spaniards Road, at the northern edge of Hampstead Heath between Hampstead and Highgate in London, England. The building stands close to Kenwood House and the boundary between the London boroughs of Barnet and Camden. It is recognized as a Grade II listed building and is generally understood to date from the sixteenth century, with the pub traditionally associated with a construction date of about 1585. The inn developed in a location that was historically outside the built-up center of London and near the Finchley boundary. Its position gave it a practical role for travelers using the road between London and the northern suburbs. The site was connected with the entrance to the Bishop of London's estate, and a boundary stone dated 1755 remains visible in the front garden. A tollhouse built around 1710 stands opposite the pub. The road between the inn and the tollhouse is now narrowed to a single lane, while the two historic structures fall within different boroughs and are separately listed. The pub's reputation is strongly linked to the stories, travel patterns, and folklore of the road. Dick Turpin is traditionally said to have been a regular visitor because his father reportedly served as landlord, although the more certain historical context is that highwaymen frequented the surrounding area and could use the inn as a vantage point over passing traffic. An Old Bailey record from 1751 documents the prosecution of Samuel Bacon for highway robbery; he was apprehended approximately 200 yards from the Spaniards. These associations have helped make the inn a recognizable example of London's historic coaching and roadside-pub culture. The Spaniards also features in local accounts of the Gordon Riots of 1780. According to the reported story, the landlord supplied rioters with free drinks and thereby delayed their advance toward Kenwood House until local militia could respond. The episode is part of the inn's long-standing historical mythology, although it should be treated as a reported tradition rather than an independently established corporate history. Its cultural profile extends beyond local history. The inn is mentioned in Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers and Bram Stoker's Dracula, and has associations with artists and writers including Joshua Reynolds, Lord Byron, and John Keats. The pub states that Keats wrote Ode to a Nightingale in its gardens, while the Dracula tradition connects Stoker with a ghost story associated with the premises. John Galsworthy later used the inn as a setting in The Man of Property, the first novel in The Forsyte Saga, where Soames Forsyte takes architect Philip Bosinny there to discuss a house project. Today, Spaniards Inn operates as a traditional British pub serving drinks and food in a historic building and garden setting. Its appeal combines heritage architecture, literary and artistic associations, proximity to Hampstead Heath and Kenwood House, and the atmosphere of a long-established country-style inn within Greater London. The pub has also received recognition for its food: The Guardian placed it fourth in a 2007 list of the United Kingdom's top pub roasts and included it among Britain's best pubs in 2009. No reliable information in the supplied material identifies its current owner, operating group, financial performance, or corporate leadership.
History
Spaniards Inn occupies a historically strategic position on Spaniards Road between Hampstead and Highgate, beside Hampstead Heath and close to Kenwood House. The inn is believed to have been built around 1585, when the surrounding area was more rural and the road served travelers approaching London from the north. It stood near the Finchley boundary and is associated with the entrance to the Bishop of London's estate. This setting helped establish the premises as both a place of refreshment and a point of orientation for people using the road. Several surviving features preserve the character of the historic landscape. A boundary stone dated 1755 remains in the front garden, while a tollhouse constructed around 1710 stands across the road. The inn is in Barnet and the tollhouse is in Camden; both buildings are listed, and the road between them has been reduced to a single lane. In 1966, a proposal to demolish the tollhouse was resisted successfully. One argument against demolition was that its removal would encourage more rapid traffic, illustrating the continuing connection between preservation of the site and management of the road. The inn's early reputation became intertwined with accounts of highwaymen. Dick Turpin is widely associated with the premises, partly because his father is said to have been the landlord. The precise extent of Turpin's connection is uncertain. More firmly, the wider area was frequented by highwaymen, who could observe traffic from a roadside establishment positioned outside London. An Old Bailey case records that Samuel Bacon, indicted for robbery on the King's Highway on 16 October 1751, was captured about 200 yards from the Spaniards. The case provides a documented link between the surrounding road and eighteenth-century concerns about highway robbery. During the Gordon Riots in 1780, Catholic relief legislation provoked violent opposition in London and nearby communities. A reported local tradition says that rioters who marched toward Hampstead intending to attack Kenwood House were given free drinks by the Spaniards' landlord. The delay allegedly allowed the local militia to arrive and protect the house. This account forms part of the pub's heritage narrative, but the supplied reference presents it as a report rather than as a fully documented institutional action. The building later acquired a literary and artistic identity. The inn is mentioned in Charles Dickens's The Pickwick Papers and Bram Stoker's Dracula. It was also associated with Joshua Reynolds, Lord Byron, and John Keats. According to the pub's own tradition, Keats wrote Ode to a Nightingale in the gardens. The Stoker connection is linked to a ghost story said to have been associated with the inn and later adapted into the atmosphere or plotting of Dracula. John Galsworthy used the premises in The Man of Property, the opening novel of The Forsyte Saga, as the place where Soames Forsyte and architect Philip Bosinny discuss plans for a house at Robin Hill. The surrounding landscape was also represented in art. In 1822, John Constable painted Road to the Spaniards, Hampstead, recording the road and its rural setting during a period when the area was still distinct from the expanding metropolis. Over time, the growth of London transformed the inn from a remote roadside stop into a historic pub within the capital, while its location beside Hampstead Heath preserved much of its distinctive setting. Spaniards Inn is now a Grade II listed pub operating as a food-and-drink venue. Its contemporary identity rests on the combination of traditional English pub service, a historic building, literary and artistic associations, and access to one of London's major open spaces. Food recognition has been part of its modern profile: The Guardian ranked it fourth in a 2007 list of leading British pub roasts and named it among Britain's best pubs in 2009. The supplied material does not establish the pub's founder, current owner, corporate group, management team, financial results, or any subsequent changes in ownership.
- 2009
Included among Britain's best pubs
[1]The Guardian included the inn in a feature highlighting Britain's best pubs.
- 2007
Recognized for pub roasts
[1]The Guardian ranked Spaniards Inn fourth in a feature on the United Kingdom's top pub roasts.
- 1966
Tollhouse demolition proposal opposed
[1]A proposal to demolish the nearby tollhouse was defeated, helping preserve the historic relationship between the tollhouse and the inn.
- 1822
Constable depicts the road
[1]John Constable produced Road to the Spaniards, Hampstead, linking the inn and its surroundings with the visual record of London’s rural edge.
- 1780
Gordon Riots local tradition
[1]A reported account says the landlord supplied rioters with drinks, delaying their progress toward Kenwood House until local militia could intervene.
- 1755
Boundary stone installed
[1]A boundary stone dated 1755 was placed near the inn and remains visible in the front garden.
- 1751
Highway-robbery case near the inn
[1]Old Bailey records state that Samuel Bacon, indicted for robbery on the King's Highway, was captured approximately 200 yards from Spaniards Inn.
- 1710
Tollhouse built opposite the inn
[1]A tollhouse was constructed across the road, becoming part of the historic roadside setting that remains associated with Spaniards Inn.
- 1585
Approximate construction of the inn
[1]The building is believed to have been established around 1585 on the Finchley boundary, near the entrance to the Bishop of London's estate.
Products and positioning
Traditional English pub combining heritage architecture, historic-roadside atmosphere, literary associations, and food-and-drink hospitality near Hampstead Heath.
Beverages
Beer and cider
The pub's traditional beverage offer includes beer and cider served in the setting of a historic London public house. The supplied material does not identify specific breweries, brands, styles, or current menus.
Beverages
Wine and spirits
Wine and spirits form part of the expected food-and-drink service associated with the inn. No reliable source in the supplied material provides a detailed list of labels, vintages, cocktails, or current pricing.
Food service
Traditional pub food
Spaniards Inn operates as a dining pub offering traditional British-style food in a historic building and garden environment. The reference material does not provide a complete current menu, but its recognition for pub roasts indicates an established food-service identity.
Food service
Pub roast
The pub roast is the venue's most clearly documented signature food category. The Guardian placed Spaniards Inn fourth in a 2007 list of the United Kingdom's top pub roasts, although the supplied sources do not specify the exact dishes or recipe.
Recent events
- 2009
Spaniards Inn included among Britain's best pubs[1]
Other
The Guardian included Spaniards Inn in a feature on Britain's best pubs, reinforcing its reputation as a notable historic and dining-oriented public house.
- 2007
Spaniards Inn ranked among the United Kingdom's top pub roasts[1]
Other
The Guardian placed Spaniards Inn fourth in a feature listing the United Kingdom's top pub roasts.
- 1966
Proposal to demolish the nearby tollhouse resisted[1]
Other
A proposal to demolish the tollhouse opposite the inn was successfully opposed, partly because removing it was expected to encourage faster and heavier traffic through the area.
Sources2 sources
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