The Spaniards is a public house dating from the 18th century at the junction of Spaniards Road and Hampstead Heath in north-west London. It was at the pub that the Gordon Rioters were delayed while on their way to destroy Lord Mansfield's house at Ken Wood. The pub also features in Charles Dickens story 'The Pickwick Papers'. Research The Spaniards
The white hart is a popular British pub sign, showing a white hart wearing a gold chain. The symbol was the badge of Richard II adopted from his mother, and was adopted by his courtiers and adherents. In nature, a white hart is a white stag. In Britain the native deer is the Red Deer, and the term white hart properly applies to a very rare white red deerstag, however the name is also given to any white stag over about five years of age. White deer are very rare in any popular deer species. Research White Hart
Dirty Dick was the nickname given to Nathaniel Bentley, an 18th century English dandy who, following the death of his fiancee on the eve of their wedding, spent the rest of his life living in squalor until he died in 1809. A pub was built on the site of his house, in Bishop's Gate, London, in 1870, and named 'Dirty Dick's' in memory of the tragic man. Research Dirty Dick
John James Hamilton was an Irish peer. He was born in 1756 and died in 1818. The first marquess of Abercorn, he was an eccentric man notorious for his love of the extravagant. Sir Walter Scott recounts how on a visit to John Hamilton he came upon a procession of five carriages, twenty outriders and a man on horseback wearing the blue ribbon of the Knights of the Garter, who turned out to be John Hamilton on his way to dine alone at a pub in the village of Longtown. John Hamilton was noted for his love of solitude, which extended to visitors to his home being given free reign to do what they liked, so long as they didn't speak to him. Research John Hamilton
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Abbreviations
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