The King & Tinker

The story goes like this. King James I, out hunting deer on Enfield Chase, lost his courtiers and slipped into a wayside alehouse. There he drank with a travelling tinker who had no idea who he was. When the courtiers finally burst in, the tinker realised he had been sharing a pint with the King of England.

The pub that carries the legend, the Grade II listed King & Tinker on Whitewebbs Lane, probably dates from the early 17th century. It is a characterful country pub with a children's play area outside, and it ties in perfectly with Northaw's own royal story: the same king enclosed Northaw Common for his hunting park in 1618.

Make it part of our royal hunting trail. Check opening times before you travel.