Twickenham, now part of the Richmond upon Thames section of Greater London, is associated with the physical game of rugby but in times past has been noted for residents such as Francis Bacon, statesman and philosopher; Alexander Pope, the poet; J. W. M. Turner, the painter and a host of aristocrats and their associates. Their residence in the district has provided a legacy of intrigue in local history and interesting architecture much of which is open to the public but the information to be relayed here is that of the inns and pubs in Twickenham and Richmond. To that end I suggest the visitor mix history and refreshment via the recommendations given on the linked pages indicated below.

On the premise that the history of English pubs is the history of England, immerse yourself in the past for a while by making the only type of time travel you are ever likely to experience, and go to Church Street, the original high street of Twickenham, step down into The Fox, one of the oldest pubs in the area, whence you will be at the street level as it was 300 years ago. Stay to enjoy a drink and a chat then do the same thing at The George, in King Street, the only remaining staging post in Twickenham. This inn catered for stage-coach travellers going into London; at one time a similar establishment, The King’s Head, on the opposite side of the road dealt with coaches and their occupants travelling in the opposite direction. The George and an adjoining building are all that is left of the old town in King Street. It is unfortunate when "improvements" to a building of interest are not in sympathy with its history and sadly this is the case for the latter pub just mentioned.

Whereas an inn is the forerunner of the modern hotel, a pub, ie public house, was originally where the occupiers of a private house brewed beer and made a living by selling it to customers who drank it on the premises. This accounts for the diversity of character in English pubs and distinguishes them from “bars”. But no matter how enticing a particular pub might appear that is no guarantee of the quality of the beer it sells. In that respect consultation of CAMRA’s "Good Beer Guide" is suggested.

Twickenham is not far from London and is adjacent to the. town of Richmond (Surrey) which is served by Underground and British Rail. Richmond is noteworthy as the place where Elizabeth 1st died and from where a messenger was dispatched inviting James, King of Scotland, to also become the monarch of England, thus eventually leading to the establishment of the United Kingdom. It is also favoured with Thames side walks and having two theatres. For the drinker there are a noteworthy number of pubs most of which sell food. With the latter in mind: Those in favour of a selective pub crawl around those establishments in Richmond are invited to click the hand pump on the right.

London's regional brewer is Fuller's and local beers are made at Twickenham's "Crane Brewery"
These products, along with those brewed by Youngs are arguably superior to those obtainable from the larger national companies and are available in several Twickenham and Richmond pubs. A number of Free Houses, ie pubs not tied to a brewery, are also present making this an excellent area for pub food and the beer drinker.

Having done some virtual imbibing in Richmond take a similar trip around Twickenham by clicking the left hand beer pump, then make the Richmond and Twickenham tours reality.

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