
The Dove is a quiet riverside pub in Hammersmith, London. I'd like to claim it as my local, but it actually takes a good 20 minutes to walk there from my flat. That said, it is definitely worth the stroll and on days like today, when the weather is cold but dry, it's a perfect destination if you feel like stretching your legs. I enjoyed a lovely pint of Guinness here this afternoon after taking a walk along the river.
What's this got to do with books, I hear you ask.
Well, this cosy little 17th century pub, which is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the smallest bar in the UK, has many literary connections.
Scottish poet James Thomson (1700-1748), who wrote Rule Britannia, lodged here.
Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway reputedly drank here, as did A.P. Herbert (1890-1971), whose novel The Water
Gypsies features a pub called The Pigeon, which is believed to be The Dove.
And William Morris (1834-1896), artist, writer, socialist, activist and founder of the Kelmscott Press, lived next door.
If you're ever in London and feel like a drink here, the pub is located at 19 Upper Mall, Hammersmith, W6.
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