The Artful Dodger

The Artful Dodger, a name synonymous with cunning and mischief, is not just a character from a Charles Dickens novel. It’s also the name of a pub on Royal Mint Street in London. The Artful Dodger, formerly known as the Crown and Seven Stars, is full of history. The pub stands on what was once Rosemary Lane, a place with a reputation as a hotbed of criminal activity. The pub’s history stretches back to 1730. This was also the time when the infamous Jack Dawkins, the Artful Dodger in Dicken’s Oliver Twist, roamed the streets of Victorian London. The Dodger was known for leading a gang of child criminals and his skills as a pickpocket. While the pub predates the Artful Dodger’s fame, it’s impossible not to think of the fictional character as stepping out of the pages of the book and into this historic building. The pub was completely rebuilt in the early 19th century after a fire. In the late 19th century, it was redesigned to include a more grand facade, adorned with an extravagant display of Ionic pilasters and a crowning halo of seven stars. Despite the grandeur, the pub struggled as new housing developments affected its business. Although it closed in 1981, re-opened in 1985, the pub was renamed to The Artful Dodger. This name, with its direct connection to London’s criminal underworld, evokes a sense of both the past and the present. As you stand before The Artful Dodger, imagine it as a backdrop to a story of Dickens. You can almost picture the shadowy figures hovering in the alleyways, whispering secrets and plotting their next daring heist. With each pint you raise, picture a toast to the infamous Artful Dodger and all the stories of London’s vibrant past that continue to echo through these very streets.