The Gun, Coldharbour

Pub in Coldharbour, London

51°30′06″N 0°00′28″W / 51.50178°N 0.00774°W / 51.50178; -0.00774Opened18th centuryDesignations
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameThe Gun Public HouseDesignated27 September 1973Reference no.1357804 Websitewww.thegundocklands.com

The Gun is a Grade II listed public house at 27 Coldharbour, Coldharbour, London. It takes its name from the cannon which was fired when the West India Docks first opened in 1802.[1][2]

History

The pub has occupied the plot of 27 Coldharbour since the early 18th century under various trading names. It was first called The King and Queen in 1722 before being renamed to The Rose and Crown in 1725 and later Ramsgate Pink in 1745. It took on its current name, The Gun, in 1771.[3]

Lord Horatio Nelson is commonly associated with The Gun having lived locally and where it is said that he visited the docks to inspect the guns. In addition, he would frequent the pub to secretly meet Lady Emma Hamilton in an upstairs room (now called The River Room) for their affair.[4]

There is also a long association with smugglers landing contraband on the site and distributing it via a hidden tunnel. To this day there is still a spy-hole in the secret circular staircase to watch out for “The Revenue Men”.

Modern Usage

The Gun is now a Grade II listed building which was restored after a fire in 2001 which kept the pub closed for 3 years. Previously The Gun was owned by the ETM group who sold the pub to Fuller, Smith & Turner in July 2016.[5] The pub is now operated as a gastro-pub including an outdoor Gin Garden[6] which has previously been sponsored by Sipsmith,[7] a covered riverside terrace and rooms that have been converted for private hire. The Gun is now largely focused on food serving modern British cuisine[8] but also serving Fuller's beers and high quality wines.

As the pub is located in the Docklands area of London the pub caters to the many workers of Canary Wharf but also the residents of the Isle of Dogs.

Notable patrons

  • Cabin Room with Hanging Tankards
    Cabin Room with Hanging Tankards
  • The upstairs River Room
    The upstairs River Room
  • Open fire in the Red Room
    Open fire in the Red Room
  • Gun Room
    Gun Room
  • Location of The Gun at the West India Docks
    Location of The Gun at the West India Docks
  • Gin Garden at The Gun
    Gin Garden at The Gun
  • Riverside Terrace at The Gun
    Riverside Terrace at The Gun
  • Gin Garden at The Gun with summer marquee
    Gin Garden at The Gun with summer marquee
  • Plaque outside The Gun
    Plaque outside The Gun


References

  1. ^ a b Historic England. "The Gun public house (1357804)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  2. ^ "The Gun Public House, Coldharbour, London E14: A Standing Building Survey". MOLA. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  3. ^ Survey of London: Poplar, Blackwall and the Isle of Dogs, the Parish of All Saints. London County Council. 1994. pp. 607–624.
  4. ^ "History". The Gun, Docklands.
  5. ^ "Fuller's acquires The Gun from ETM". MCA.
  6. ^ "Gin Garden". The Gun, Docklands.
  7. ^ "A pop-up Victorian hot gin bar is arriving at The Conductor". Fuller's.
  8. ^ "The Gun, E14: Spectacular Docklands Views". LooseEnds. 31 March 2017.
  9. ^ "Our friend and longstanding regular and advocate of The Gun, Alan Brazil wishing everyone well for the weekend! A proper debrief with Ray Parlour". Facebook.
  • Official website
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