Tired of London, Tired of Life - A website about things to do in London

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5 April 2010

Seek refuge at the Green Man, Putney Heath

The Green Man, on Putney Heath, apparently dates back to around 1700, and is built on the site of an old duelling spot. As such, it was apparently often a refuge for the contestants after the battles, though your author struggles to understand how they could have both sought refuge there.


There is also a legend that this was one of the many pubs frequented by highwayman Dick Turpin, and apparently he once stashed his guns in a room upstairs. It also attracted other highwaymen who it is claimed watched their victims taking refreshment in the pub before going after them as soon as they resumed their journey on the heath.

It's a Youngs Pub, which usually means reasonable quality, and there is also an open fire. For more, see http://www.youngs.co.uk/pub-detail.asp?PubID=405

^Picture by Noel Foster^

3 comments:

  1. It also features in Patrick Keiller's London.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v84byeueCBI

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  2. Because of the duels fought on Putney Heath, somewhere between the Green Man and the old telegraph station which was part of the Whitehall to Portsmouth communication system, the pub's motto was at the time "pistols for two, breakfast for one." Several famous people fought there, including William Pitt (Prime Minister) and William Tierney (MP for Southwark) in May 1798, and Lord Castlereagh (Secretary for War) and George Canning (Foreign Minister) in September 1809. Fortunately it seems these four gentlemen were useless with firearms, with only Canning being hit (in the leg).

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