Five of the oldest Wetherspoons pubs in south east London

We’ve covered some of south east London’s oldest pubs and today we’re going to be taking a look at some of the oldest Wetherspoons in south east London and their origins.

From one of the first Wetherspoons that opened in Lewisham in the late 90s to a pub that is situated on a former Roman road.

Here’s a round up of five of the oldest Wetherspoons pubs in south east London:

The Watch House, Lewisham

First opening in 1997, The Watch House was one of Lewisham’s earliest Wetherspoons pubs.

It is located on what was formerly Lewisham’s village green on the area in between where the High Street and Lewis Grove is now.

The land was eventually privatised and sold off leading to the opening of the Watch House.

The Brockley Barge, Brockley

Formerly known as the Breakspear Arms before it closed in 1994, the now known Brockley Barge has links to the areas former canal heritage.

The corner is named after the barges which formerly travelled on the Croydon Canal before it closed in 1809.

The New Cross Turnpike, Welling

Situated on what was once the Roman road from London to Dover, the New Cross Turnpike was named after a former turnpike that charged a toll to people to use the road to New Cross in the 17th and 18th century.

The building was formerly used as a NatWest bank before it became a Wetherspoons in 1988 and was later refurbished in 2016.

The Kentish Drovers, Peckham

First opened in May 2000, the Kentish Drovers shares its name with the cattle drovers who passed through Peckham on the way to Smithfield Market in the 1700s.

It also relates to the former 18th century inn that stood on the other side of Peckham High Street.

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The Greyhound, Bromley High Street

The Greyhound dates back as early as the 1500s.

The current building stands on the site that was once occupied by the Grete (or Great) House which was first recorded in 1532.

Now in its place stands the current Georgian-style building which was built in 1797 and was then refurbished by Wetherspoons in June 2011.