The Prospect of Whitby

The Prospect of Whitby, claiming to be London’s oldest riverside pub dating from 1520, stands on the Thames at Wapping and carries one of the darkest reputations of any London establishment. Originally called The Devil’s Tavern due to its clientele of smugglers, thieves, and pirates, the pub became notorious as the drinking spot of Judge George Jeffreys, the “Hanging Judge,” who would watch executions from the pub’s balcony while enjoying his ale. The execution dock at Wapping saw hundreds of pirates and smugglers hanged and their bodies left to be submerged by three tides as a warning to others. The spirits of these executed men are said to haunt the pub and the riverside area, with witnesses reporting seeing the apparitions of men in tattered maritime clothing appearing near the water’s edge, their necks twisted at unnatural angles.

Inside the pub, the ghost of Judge Jeffreys himself is said to return to the scene of his cruel entertainment. Witnesses have reported seeing a portly figure in 17th-century judicial robes standing near the windows overlooking the river, a wine glass in hand, watching something on the water with cold satisfaction before vanishing. Staff have reported hearing the creaking of rope and the sound of a body swinging in the wind coming from outside the building, despite there being nothing hanging there when they investigate. The pub’s ancient cellars, which once connected to smuggling tunnels leading to the river, are intensely active with paranormal phenomena including shadow figures, unexplained voices speaking in archaic dialects, and the overwhelming smell of tar and seawater that appears without explanation.

The building’s association with maritime tragedy extends to the spirits of sailors and dock workers who frequented the establishment over five centuries. Witnesses have reported seeing ghostly figures in sailor’s clothing sitting at tables, drinking invisible drinks and engaged in silent conversation before fading away. The sound of sea shanties sung by rough male voices has been heard coming from empty rooms, and there are reports of the sensation of the floor moving as if on the deck of a ship, despite the building being firmly fixed to land. Objects move on their own, particularly in the older sections of the pub, and there have been numerous accounts of people being touched or pushed by invisible hands near the staircases. The Prospect of Whitby’s long history of violence, execution, and maritime tragedy has created a location where the veil between past and present seems perpetually thin, and the dead refuse to stay silent.