The Widow's Son, London, Grade II listed pub in Bromley-by-Bow, London, England.
The Widow's Son is a pub in a Grade II* listed building on the corner of Devons Road in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The exterior is painted blue and features period details typical of 19th-century construction, which are also reflected inside.
The pub was built around 1848 on the site of a cottage where, according to local tradition, a widow kept a hot cross bun each year for her son who had gone to sea and never returned. The name of the building comes directly from this story, which has shaped its identity ever since.
Every Good Friday, Royal Navy sailors visit the pub to add a hot cross bun to a net hung above the bar. This ritual has been kept going for generations and gives the place a connection to the sea that is still visible today.
The pub stands at the corner of Devons Road in East London and is easy to spot from the street. Inside, there are several seating areas across different rooms, so it is easy to find a spot whether you are stopping briefly or staying longer.
Some of the hot cross buns hanging in the net above the bar are said to be decades old, as they dry out and harden over time rather than rotting. What began as a mother's gesture has turned into a growing collection that spans much of the pub's lifetime.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
