Five centuries of warmth, character and genuine British hospitality — rooted in the heart of Elstree.
The Waggon & Horses has stood on this corner of Elstree since 1471 — one of the oldest continuously licensed premises in Hertfordshire. What began as a coaching inn, offering shelter to travellers and rest for weary horses on the road between London and the north, has evolved into something rarer still: a pub that genuinely feels like it belongs to its community.
Through centuries of change — through wars and transformations, through the growth of the village into a town, through the arrival of the film studios that would make Elstree famous — the Waggon has remained constant. The beams are original. The warmth is real. And the welcome has never wavered.
Today, we honour that heritage not by freezing it in amber, but by bringing it forward — with a kitchen that takes seasonal British cooking seriously, a cellar that is tended with care, and a team that understands what a truly great local pub should feel like.
"A pub should feel like somewhere between home and haven — a place with a past, a present, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to stay just a little longer."— The Waggon & Horses, Elstree
The Waggon & Horses opens as a coaching inn on the road to the north — offering stabling, ale and shelter to travellers making their way through Hertfordshire.
The original oak-framed structure is extended to accommodate the growing trade of the coaching route. The central hearth and bar are established in what is now the main dining room.
Elstree is gripped by one of the most notorious crimes of the age. John Thurtell murdered London solicitor William Weare over a gambling debt — disposing of the body in a nearby pond — before returning to The Waggon & Horses that same evening to eat pork chops, drink ale and sing songs with his accomplices. The killers were caught shortly after. The case gripped the nation, inspiring street ballads, plays and books, and etching this pub's name permanently into Victorian criminal history.
With the arrival of the railway, the Waggon adapts from coaching inn to neighbourhood local — becoming a cornerstone of Elstree's social life for workers, tradespeople and local families alike.
Elstree's famous film studios open nearby. The Waggon becomes a favourite haunt of the creative community — a tradition that continues to this day.
Under thoughtful stewardship, the Waggon & Horses brings its remarkable history forward — with a premium seasonal kitchen, a curated cellar, private hire facilities and a genuine commitment to the best of British pub hospitality.
Not scripted, not performative — the kind of welcome that comes from genuinely caring about the people who walk through your door. Every guest, every time.
Seasonal ingredients, prepared with skill and served with generosity. We believe that the best pub food is honest, well-sourced and cooked with pride — not dressed up or confused.
Cask ales from the best British breweries, a wine list chosen with genuine care, and a bar that takes cocktails and spirits as seriously as the food.
We have been part of this community for over five centuries. We support local producers, celebrate local occasions, and remain committed to being a pub that Elstree is genuinely proud of.
The original beams, the worn flagstones, the brass fittings — they are not decoration. They are the soul of this building, and we care for them accordingly.
A great pub should feel entirely natural. Our aim is to make quality, comfort and hospitality feel like the easiest thing in the world — because at the Waggon, it is.
Words and photographs can only tell so much of the story. The rest is best discovered in person, preferably with something good to drink in hand.