Pubs

The pubs in the area add some variety to the suburban scene and provide excellent navigation points for many

I didn't frequent the local pubs so I can't really express much of a view on their quality or otherwise so I'll stick to the facts as I know them. I am limiting the list to the N9 area unless there are any borderline cases and I'll include pubs that have closed down since about the 1960s. I did list on the current name but had to draw the line when I discovered the Cock renamed so I am now using the accepted late 20th Century names. The map above shows the location of the pubs that I believed were still open when I created it in August 2006. However it seems that four of them may already been closed by that date (if not closed by then they certainly didn't last much longer) and they weren't the last to close.

The Beehive

The Beehive is situated on the east side of Little Bury Street nearest the junction with Bury Street West. The pub dates back to at least the mid-19th Century. The current building opened in 1936 just south of the original site.

Boundary House (closed)

The Boundary House is just the wrong side of the boundary ditch on the east side of the Hertford Road a 100 yards or so past the Galliard Road and Nightingale Road junction. I can't really exclude it for being about one yard out! I took the photo from the right side of the border though ;-)

There was another pub called the Boundary / Boundary House on the A10 Great Cambridge Road further north. This had a restaurant conversion many years ago but may also still be a pub and known to some by the old name. If someone talks about the Boundary in Enfield it might be that is the one they had in mind rather than this one.

September 2014 update: it seems that The Boundary House has been closed for some time.

The Britannia (closed, now a restaurant);

The Britannia is on the south side of Sebastopol Road just east of the junction with Fore Street and is just about visible from the high road. It opened in 1953 and was the replacement for the Albion which dated back to around 1870 and occupied the site on the corner with Fore Street before the area was redeveloped. In December 2006 I discovered that the pub is now a Romanian restaurant though apparently it retains the Britannia sign.

The Cart Overthrown

The Cart Overthrown lies on Montagu Road opposite Bounces Road and next to Picketts Lock Lane. It is one of the Hungry Horse chain (part of the Greene King group). It dates back to at least 1752 when it was The Overturned Cart.

The Cock Tavern <closed, now a restaurant>

The Cock is one of the long established inns in Lower Edmonton and is located on the Hertford Road on the corner of the junction with Houndsfield Road. The building is a turn of the century (19th to 20th) rebuild that was much more ornate externally until being caught in a V1 blast in 1944.

During the late 1970s and the 1980s the pub was well known for putting on entertainment several nights a week and then getting into ticket only type events but these eventually generated too much of a noise nuisance for the neighbours.

The pub was jointly billed as 'The North London Venue Bar' in early 2002 but by July 2002 it was masquerading as the Pitch & Pint. What can you say...

The pub was being repainted externally in May 2005 in a rather smart dark green. There was no name in evidence when I passed it and took the photos above but the blackboards outside referred to it as the Cock and so it did get its name back. It is said to have closed for a while in 2009. By September 2014 there were rumours that the Cock might be closing down and indeed it did. It was open again as the Kosk Restaurant (a Turkish restaurant) by April 2016.

The Cross Keys (closed and demolished);

The Cross Keys stood on the north side of Salmon's Brook on the west side of The Green and was for a long time arguably *the* landmark. It dated from at least the 17th Century and was rebuilt c. 1886. Eccleston doesn't acknowledge this but both he and Sellick claim a 1930s rebuild that Boudier doesn't mention. It is clear from photographic evidence that the building on the street front post-1930s is the same as the 1886 built one (the centre photo shows it in the early 1890s). I asked Gary Boudier for his thoughts via the message board and he feels that he would have come across some paperwork or plans during his researches had there been any significant rebuilding. However he does point out differences in architectural detail that suggests that some refurbishment is likely to have occurred.

After being given a major revamp in 1970 the pub had a brief spell as Reflections and then became the Empire variety theatre in 1972 before reverting to its proper name in 1976 but as a nightclub. It was gutted by fire in the 1980s and after the licence expired in 1988 it was demolished. Early photos show the pub with the brewery name Mann, Crossman and Paulin. This dates back to 1808 and eventually became part of Watney Mann in 1958.

The Exhibition <demolished, relocated and closed>

The Exhibition dated from somewhere around 1852 and was located where the Hertford Road and New Road were crossed by Town Road giving it frontage on three roads. It can just about be glimpsed in the left foreground of the photo above right.

When the area was rebuilt in the last 1960s and early 1970s the original building was demolished and the pub reopened in the South Mall at Edmonton Green Shopping Centre next to the Market Square. It closed in 2000 though the sign is still there indicating it was a Taylor Walker pub.

The photos from the South Mall aren't very sharp I'm afraid. It is quite dull in the covered malls for photography and flash would be unlikely to help even if I wanted to use it.

The Golden Fleece <closed, now a restaurant>

This establishment was trading for several years as Bar 271 (271 is the number in its address) but The Golden Fleece name is part of the fabric of the building. It is on Fore Street on the junction with Park Road next to Argos. The pub predates this Victorian building and was previously just The Fleece. Walking past the pub in May 2005 it was pleasing to note that it was trading as The Golden Fleece again and had a new sign up.

Passing the building in October 2011, it appeared that the pub had closed and was being converted to a restaurant and indeed in December 2012 it was clearly a restaurant.

The Golden Lion <closed and demolished>

The Golden Lion was at the north end of the east side of The Green. It was an old coaching inn and parts of it clearly dated from the 1700s though it was first recorded as early as 1521. It closed in 1970 when the site was lost to developments and it was the only one of the four lost pubs not replaced with a new one.

The brewery name Barclay Perkins, or simple Barclay's, can clearly be seen. The name Barclay comes from the same family as the bank. Barclay Perkins merged with Courage in 1955 and was particularly known for its Imperial Stout.

The Horse & Groom (Tudor Inn) <closed and demolished>

The Tudor Inn was on Fore Street between Park Road and Shrubbery Road. Many will think of it as The Horse And Groom which was a long established inn dating back to at least 1723. The last building was the third one and was built in 1968.

Some may be wondering why I am using the past tense. Well in October 2003 I came across a one-liner in the local rag saying planning permission was being sought to demolish it and replace it with a part four storey and part five storey block of flats. This planning permission was granted and when I passed by in July 2004 the building was boarded up and fenced off. The building seemed to stay intact for some time but passing by in April 2007 I noted that it had at last been demolished, thus ending three centuries of local history. Passing by in December 2012 I noticed a new building was on the site which looked residential.

The Hyde Arms

This is on Victoria Road next to the shops north of Chalfont Road. That is at the Edmonton Green end of the road not the Silver Street end.

September 2014 update: The pub has recently been put up for sale but it seems to be as a going concern.

The Jolly Farmer (LTs) <closed and converted to turkish baths>

The Jolly Farmer is on Church Street between Lion Road and Winchester Road, next to "Holy Joe's" (as was) and opposite the Lamb. It was a Taylor Walker pub for many years though their branding isn't anywhere to be seen on it these days so it probably changed a few years back.

The current building dates from the 1920s (or early 1930s perhaps) and retained separate saloon and public bars on the left and right until the end of 1989 when it was substantially altered internally. Over the last few years it seems to me to have had more new paint jobs than would seem typical, one in November 2004 changing the colour to black and pale yellow (unfortunately the pub sign dated from the previous paint job so no longer matched).

In August 2005 the pub was repainted in dark green and the sign was changed to one reading LTs and enlightening us that it is part of the Tittlemouse pub group. So it seems that they changed the name. That is very sad as The Jolly Farmer name dates from around 1773. The old name remained on the large board on the side of the pub. The pub would seem to have closed by early 2011 and the photos above from June 2011 show the building is being refurbished, though it remained to be seen whether there would be a change of use.

Passing by in April 2013 the ground floor was behind hoardings and the most recent planning permission applied for and granted was for the conversion of the ground floor for use as turkish baths, with the first floor becoming a self-contained flat. Passing by again in August 2014 it would appear the turkish baths are now open, though the large Jolly Farmer board remains on the side wall.

The previous building was a Christie & Co. pub. Christie & Co. date from c. 1700 and were based at a brewery in Hoddesdon before closure in 1928. The building itself dated from around 1795 and in turn replaced one dating from at least 1752 when it traded as The Dukes Head.

The King William IV <closed>

This is on the Hertford Road on the junction with Rosemary Avenue (which is more or less opposite Bury Street). It is marked on the 1881 OS Map so has been around quite a while and it is probably the original building. The pub was trading under the Ind Coope brand at least as late as 1997 but has been using the somewhat artficially revived Taylor Walker brand for the last few years. In this case it is appropriate because it was a Taylor Walker house to start with. I believe it may have simply been called the William IV for a while.

September 2014 update: It would appear the pub closed c. 2010 though it may perhaps have reopened c. 2011. However it certainly seems to have been closed since c. 2012 and there has been a suggestion it has been bought by a property developer.

The King's Head <closed, demolished and replaced>

The King's Head was on the west side of The Green at the north end (just before Lindwood's the fishmongers I am told!), which I guess places it near the junction with New Road. It closed in 1974 and dates from at least 1722 though it could have been older.

The pub was actually replaced in the new development but they chose to rename it. Originally it was to be The Billy Smarts but they settled on The Old Circus.

The Lamb

The Lamb is on Church Street about a hundred yards or so away from Edmonton Green station and is next to the Sorting Office and opposite The Jolly Farmer. A Wetherspoons conversion from a restaurant (itself a conversion from two houses), it then became a Barracuda pub but has had an exterior refurbishment (and possibly an interior one for all I know) and looks like it is probably independent now. It is often listed in guides as The Lamb Inn and may well have had the extra word in the name at one stage.

September 2014 update: The pub remains open as a Smith & Jones pub.

The Old Circus (The Inn On The Green) <closed and demolished>

This Old Circus was on the North Square of Edmonton Green Shopping Centre on the corner on the high road side. The main entrance with a modest beer garden was actually on the road with only a back entrance in the North Square. The pub only dated back to 1974, of course, but was built to replace The King's Head. Following a police drugs raid in late 2003 the pub closed, but was reopened in mid-2004 and by the end of the year a new pub sign had appeared.

Visiting the area in May 2006 I noticed that the Old Circus had now become Inn on the Green.

September 2014 update: It was a surprise that this page didn't say the pub had beeb closed. Indications are that it actually closed in 2008. It would appear to have been absorbed, along with neighbouring stores, into a Wilko and presumably there will have been much rebuilding going on. So it has effectively been demolished.

Pymmes Park Inn <closed, planning permission granted for demolition>

The PPI, as it was commonly known, was on the east side of Victoria Road on the junction with Park Road. The sign said it was a Whitbread pub and I have no reason to doubt it. It doesn't seem that long ago that it seemed as if it was being refurbished but apparently it closed sometime in 2005/6 and as of December 2008 it remained boarded up awaiting redevelopment.

Apparently planning permission was granted in 2008 for demolition of the building and its replacement with a doctor's surgery (and some other bits and bobs) with residential accommodation above. This planning permission lapsed and an extension was requested which was eventially granted on appeal in 2012.

Railway Tavern <demolished and relocated>

The Railway Tavern is on the Market Square in Edmonton Green Shopping Centre on the corner with the North Mall. I assume the shopping centre never gets totally locked up so there is still access to it. It was previously on the old Green just south of the level crossing. It has long been a Whitbread pub I believe. It originally opened in 1839 or earlier as The Jolly Sailor before changing its name when the railway came along and being rebuilt in 1899.

Rising Sun

The Rising Sun is on Winchester Rd at the junction with Chichester Road and very near the junction with Bury Street. The lettering "Taylor Walker Established 1730" is true but misleading. Taylor Walker can indeed trace its origins to Salmon and Hare who opened in Stepney in 1730. However Taylor Walker was taken over by Ind Coope in 1959 and their Barley Mow brewery in Limehouse ceased brewing in 1960. In the late 1970s Allied had a change of policy and many local brewery names that had been lost were revitalised and cask conditioned ales were reintroduced. However they were mostly all brewed in Burton and Romford. So really it is only the name that is old.

The Rose And Crown (Rosies) <closed and converted to a restaurant>

The Rose And Crown is the historical name for this pub on the south side of Church Street next to Victoria Road and opposite Winchester Road. It is recorded in the 17th Century and the pub was rebuilt in the 18th or 19th Century with the exisiting building dating from the 1930s. It became Rosies fairly recently in its history and then turned into a Rat and Carrot for a while and at some stage reverted to The Rose And Crown and then back to Rosies. It had a spell as Rosie's Pickled Newt but then became a Greene King pub and the sign outside called it Rosies Of Edmonton with "R of E" as a logo.

I had seen a suggestion the pub was the latest to have closed and passing it in August 2007 I could confirm this as it was all boarded up. It has been converted to a Turkish restaurant.

Stag & Hounds

A long established inn on Bury Street West more or less opposite the junction with Little Bury Street. It dates back to at least the mid 18th Century although the current building is a 1920s rebuild.

The Steps — a.k.a. The Crown And Horseshoes <closed and converted to a shop>

The Steps is on the west side of Fore Street between Faith House and a the parade of shops south of the Shrubbery Road junction and the old Library. The Whitbread name on the pub sign was blacked out as of January 2002 and Kelly's Bar was as prominent as the pub name. The name The Steps only dates back to 1983 but this was the common nickname for the pub used instead of The Crown And Horseshoes. It dates back to at least 1851. At the end of March 2004 the pub was being painted in a creamy colour and the pub had become Pub Art. That seems a particularly silly name. Passing by in July 2004 I noticed that a banner advertising their beer garden (or something like that) had been draped over the name and that it mentioned The Steps by name again. A month or two later I noticed that the banner was still there and that the pub sign now said Murray's Bar below the name.

In December 2006 I discovered that the pub had closed at some time in the last year or so and was now boarded up. It remained that way in early 2008 but by December has been converted for use as a shop.

Town Crier — a.k.a. The Plough And Harrow <closed and demolished>

The Town Crier sat on the junction of Montagu Road with Town Road. It dated back to at least 1851 when it was The Cumberland Arms but then became The Plough And Harrow. I don't know when the name was changed to The Town Crier. Perhaps I should be listing it on the older name.

In December 2006 I discovered that the pub had closed and in May 2007 I had it confirmed that it had been demolished.

>Gary Boudier's A-Z of Enfield Pubs Part Two was published in October 2002 and I have used it to add some fine detail to that I already had. It covers all of the old parish of Edmonton and includes a few more pictures of the older buildings that might improve this page. There is also a Part One that covers the bits of the borough in the old parish of Enfield.