31/05/2026
๐ป๐ป๐ปOUR HISTORY Part 1 Ancient Origins and Religious Sanctuary
1454 โ Foundational License: The venue operates on a site that has hosted an inn since at least 1454, making it one of the longest-running continuous pub sites in London. It was originally named The Chequers.
1455 โ The Holy โOratoryโ: In 1455, the landlord (John Calcot) was granted a unique license from the Bishop of Wi******er to establish a private chapel (โoratoryโ) inside the inn. This allowed his family and traveling guests a place to celebrate divine religious services directly within the pub.
1780s โ The Identity Shift: By the 1780s, the pub dropped โThe Chequersโ and was renamed The Windmill. This honored the industrial landscape of the era, specifically a prominent horizontal smock mill and a mustard mill that sat directly across the street. Victorian Crimes and Reconstruction
1880 โ Complete Demolition and Rebuild: As Lambeth evolved from a muddy river-adjacent trading path (then called Back Lane) into an industrial hub of potters, boatsmiths, and the iconic John Doulton pottery works(established 1815), the medieval building was deemed obsolete. The original structure was entirely swept away and rebuilt in 1880 into the Victorian brick building standing today.
1893 โ The โUnjust Measuresโ Scandal: The most prominent historical police incident tied directly to the pub occurred in late Victorian London. Under the Weights and Measures Act 1878, the landlord, William Pragnall, was raided by inspectors. He was convicted and fined ยฃ2 10s (a hefty sum at the time) for using โseven unjust measuresโโessentially short-changing working-class Lambeth patrons on the volume of their pints.