The pub sign shows the pantomime version of Dick Whittington complete with stick over his shoulder and a kerchief tied to the end to carry his bits and pieces. His cat is also present. The building has a fair bit of history and is a Grade I listed building that is described as:
"Merchant's house, later shop and dwelling, now a public house. Associated with and possibly built for the family of Richard Whittington, Mayor of London. Late C15 with C16 alterations, refronted for conversion to town house in early to mid C18, altered in conversion to shop and dwelling in late C19, and altered in conversion to public house with manager's accommodation in mid C20.
Timber frame, the front of brick with stone dressings, slate roofs, brick stacks. PLAN: front block a timber frame with outer walls rebuilt in brick, a long timber-framed wing at rear facing onto the former lane on the east side of St Nicholas Church and former churchyard.
EXTERIOR: two storeys, attic and basement; symmetrical front in a provincial classical style, of five bays with a slight projection to the central three bays, raised and chamfered quoins on the outer corners and on the corners of the central projection, offset plinth. On the ground floor a stone sill band mostly cut away for the insertion of later windows; on the first floor a similar sill band, crowning entablature with modillion cornice, pediment over the central projection with modillion eaves cornices, and above the bay on each side a stone balustrade with turned balusters and flanking piers with moulded caps, each supporting a large stone urn with swags carved on the bowl.
On the ground floor the central entrance doorway remodelled and the windows in each bay on either side enlarged in early C19 and framed by timber reeded architraves with paterae carved on the corner blocks. In the window openings early C20 mullioned frames with upper transoms and with leadlight glazing in the upper lights, the enlarged windows in openings with rubbed brick flat arches which, in the side bays, are set with the original C18 raised keystones. On the first floor three sashes in the central projection in openings with eared and shouldered architraves stone frames, with a sculpted head above a swag over the head of the central window, and a raised, three-facet keystone in the architraves of the heads of the window on each side; in each of the side bays a similar sash in an opening with brick jambs and a rubbed brick, flat-arched head set with a large, raised, three-facet keystone, all the sashes with glazing bars (3x4 panes).
The east side of the front block of plain brick, on the ground floor a sash to left wth glazing bars (3x6 panes). The east side of the rear wing is timber-framed in five bays above a stone plinth with openings into the basement and with a continuous first-floor jetty; on the ground floor, except where removed or concealed by later oriel windows, the storey posts and a central intermediate post in each bay are each faced with a slender shaft cut in the solid which supports a knee brace under the first-floor jetty; in the left hand panel of the right-hand bay a C18 doorway with a semicircular fanlight with radiating glazing bars; in the panel to right and in two panels to left between the posts are C18 sashes with glazing bars (4x4 panes), to left in the centre a shallow oriel with two sashes and further left a canted oriel, also with sashes, and supported on a timber bracket above an entrance doorway to the basement, all the sashes with glazing bars; the first floor is rendered, a shallow oriel to right with a pair of C18 sashes and three similar sashes to left, all with glazing bars (4x4 panes).
INTERIOR: on the ground floor most internal walls removed and posts support timber bridging beams; joists and some wall framing exposed in the wing; on the left hand side a mid C18 staircase in two flights with open string, curtail step, richly carved foliage tread-end brackets, barleysugar balusters and swept handrail; on the first floor, off the stair landing a recess with the face of a wall to right has been opened and framed to expose part of a decayed C15 or C16 wall painting, probably a townscape, on plaster; off the corridor on the east side of the wing a room with a mid C17 panelled dado of which several sections have been removed to expose a late C16 painted dado of fruit, flowers and foliage on plaster, possibly the lower portion of a full height scheme of painted decoration. Access not possible to other parts of interior.
A very important late medieval town house, with C18 alterations of high architectural quality, which merits detailed investigation: the C16 fresco decoration is a rare and significant survival. Scheduled Ancient Monument."
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The pub also has a resident ghost:
"A hunched figure seen walking around the cellar was just one of the ghosts which caused the owners of this public house to call in paranormal investigators. Lights have also been seen floating over the bar, while furniture moves itself around the building. Previously, a ghostly man wearing a flat cap caused workmen to flee the building."