The Mayflower
In 1620, Captain Christopher Jones moored his ship, The Mayflower, in Rotherhithe – some say he was trying to avoid the crowding upriver, whilst others claim he chose the spot to dodge certain taxes. Instead of taking on his usual cargo of wine, this time he had been hired by a group of religious separatists to convey them to the New World.
Near to this site where some of the Pilgrim Fathers began their journey, there stood a pub called The Shippe. The building has had many owners over the centuries, and quite a few rebuilds and renovations. It was known as the Spread Eagle for many years, before gaining its current name in 1957 to honour its connection with the famous ship. The pub today is dark and cosy in the winter, its interior decorated with a plethora of maritime and other assorted “olde worlde” objects; in the summer, the private jetty is an ideal place to enjoy a drink or two, whilst overlooking the river.
The Mayflower was also, for quite some time (until community post offices) the only pub in the UK licensed to sell stamps; in the 1800's, sailors docked at Rotherhithe with little time to spare could order a pint and a postage stamp to send those important letters. The pub is however to only one to sell both UK and US stamps – though presumably the latter are more for souvenir purposes than practical use!
