Picture if you will a time when Surrey Street was known as Butcher’s Row. We are standing in front of the Dog & Bull. This is no ordinary pub. It’s a place steeped in history. The Dog & Bull is understood to be the oldest pub in Croydon. Its story stretches back centuries.
Once, a 12th or 13th-century inn named The Bell stood here. This was when Surrey Street and its market were first established. Imagine the hustle and bustle of medieval Croydon. People traded goods and stories were shared. The Bell provided rest and refreshment to travelers and locals alike.
Later, the Dog & Bull emerged. It was a new pub built in the 18th century. It earned Grade II listed status. The name Dog & Bull is a clue to a past. It refers to the blood sport of bull-baiting.
Bull-baiting involved setting dogs on a bull. The goal was for the dogs to subdue the bull by biting its nose or neck. This often led to the bull’s death. It may seem gruesome today. Bull-baiting was a popular form of entertainment. People even thought it improved the meat’s quality.
The Dog & Bull had a yard. This yard served a practical purpose. It was a pound for stray animals. Surrey Street was then called Butcher’s Row. Cattle and other animals roamed. The yard kept them safe until their owners claimed them. The yard is now a beer garden.
Inside the Dog & Bull, you would find a real fireplace. Stained glass windows depicted a dog and a bull. The Dog & Bull now occupies numbers 24 and 25. The adjacent grocery store was once A. E. Pearce. They specialized in bacon and cheese. The grocery merged with the pub in the early 1990s.
The Dog & Bull has seen many events. Formal inquests took place here in the 19th century. Don Weller played live jazz music in the 20th century. A vicar blessed the beer in the 21st century.
In the early 18th century, the landlord faced a death sentence. His name was Nicholas Northorpe. He was found guilty of felony. In 1820, Surrey Coroner Charles Jemmett held an inquest here. It involved the death of a 9-year-old girl.
George Eliff was an early landlord. He hosted the Loyal Victoria Odd Fellows’ lodge anniversary here. There was a robbery in the yard in 1849.
Elijah and Eliza King were landlords in 1866. They were witnesses in a horse-stealing case. Arthur King, a later landlord, found a jemmy in a wagonette. It led to the capture of some criminals.
Prince Charles visited the Dog & Bull in 1994. He met the stall-holders at Surrey Street Market. The Dog & Bull has been recognized for its quality. CAMRA named it London Pub of the Year in 1994. It was also Croydon & Sutton Pub of the Year in 2016.
Today, the Dog & Bull continues to welcome locals and visitors. It is a tied house in Young’s brewery chain. You can enjoy Young’s Bitter and Young’s Special. There are also guest ales on tap.
So next time you raise a glass here. Remember the Dog & Bull’s long and colorful past.