OLD DOCTOR BUTLER'S HEAD, MOORGATE

The Old Doctor Butler's Head has an excellent bar, restaurant and function room. Come along and visit us and try our good food, excellent wine, port and brandy selection as well as our good cigar selection. We also have the first London "Spitfire" poster campaign library which we are sure you will enjoy looking at.

The Old Doctor Butler's Head is a traditional English pub in the heart of the City of London. Originally established in 1610 the present building dates from after the Great Fire of 1666. Dr Butler was a specialist in nervous disorders whose 'miracle cures' included holding consultation on London Bridge during which the unfortunate client would be dropped through a trapdoor into the torrent below. For epilepsy he would fire a brace of pistols near his unsuspecting patient, to scare the epilepsy from them, or in cases of the plague, plunge the poor soul into cold water. So highly was he thus considered, despite his lack of qualifications that he was appointed court physician to King James 1. He also developed a medicinal ale for gastric ailments, which was available only from taverns which displayed Dr. Butler's head on their signs, this led to his acquiring a number of ale houses. Of these, the Old Dr. Butler's Head is the last remaining.