LONDON PUB, THE

This celebration of London's pubs is aimed at anyone with an interest in British history and architecture. The book features 120 of the capital's best-known drinking places, from oak-beamed, 16th-century taverns - often favoured meeting places for smugglers and villains - to the elaborate gin palaces of the Victorian age, each demonstrating London's rich cultural heritage from a new and dynamic perspective. Each entry offers a history of the pub's architectural evolution, its changing role through the centuries and its famous (and infamous) patrons. There is also practical information on location, opening hours, and food and drink selections.