Thursday 8 November 2012

Essex trivia #2 Charles Dickens drank at Sheesh in Chigwell

Sheesh, the Turkish restaurant in Chigwell frequented by Towie's Mark Wright and other luminaries was once Charles Dockens' favourite pub. It was formerly the Olde Kings Head, built in 1547. Dickens used it as the basis for the Maypole Inn on in Barnaby Rudge. In one of his letters, Dickens described it as, “the greatest place in the world...Such a delicious old inn opposite the church...such beautiful forest scenery... such an out of the way rural place!” It now has zebra-patterened carpets and the largest mirror in Essex. What larks!

All facts are from Pete May's new book The Joy of Essex (Robson Press).

2 comments:

  1. This is actually my favourite bit of your book. So glad you took me along to see the biggest mirror in Essex. Nicola

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you! And wonder where the second largest mirror in Essex is?

    ReplyDelete