What’s now an iconic part Greenwich’s culture, the bronze Nelson statue you see outside the tavern was added in 2005 after the owner commissioned the bespoke piece of work to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar. Lesley Pover, renowned sculptor, spent two years researching and crafting the piece with Nelson’s life mask and original archives in the Maritime Museum to use as reference materials.

Our custom hanging sign was hand painted by Andrew Grunden. The coat of arms style visual was replicated from a menu from 1860 which included a drawing of the hanging sign at the time. It’s as close to the old version as possible.

Tom Cribb was a world champion boxer, famed in the early 19th century. His notoriety saw him depicted in various forms of art and literature. For example, Charles Dickens (a regular visitor of the Trafalgar Tavern) referenced Cribb in his comic novel Martin Chuzzlewit. On the stairway up to the first floor, you’ll find a selection of original drawings of Cribb.

More than just a sign, our glass signage has been produced in a particular style, one that was extremely popular in the 19th Century and was patented in 1888. The concept was called the ‘Brilliant Letter’ and used a pressed copper sheet with a V shaped cross section, made to look like wood, which was then fixed to painted glass.

Charles Edward Dixon was a British maritime painter of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work was regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy and several of his paintings are currently held by the National Maritime Museum. We currently have one of his paintings on display which shows the Trafalgar Ship, sailing past the Trafalgar Tavern.

Lord Nelson proudly leads the bar staff in the Trafalgar bar. An original wooden figurehead can be found at the bar which would have originally been used to decorate the most forward part of a ship’s bow during the time of England’s rise as a great maritime power.

French painter James (Jacques) Tissot’s success grew through depictions of modern life through portraits whilst in France. He moved to London in 1871, arriving with established social and artistic connections. His paintings of elegantly dressed women appealed greatly to wealthy British industrialists. In the Nile restaurant, we’ve created a homage to his work with several of his paintings. Ask for a table in Tissot’s Corner to view his works.

In the Nile restaurant you will find a large wooden model of the Royal Naval College, which is situated in King William Walk in Greenwich, across the road from the Tavern. This unique model was originally commissioned by David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon and son of Princess Margaret. Professionally known as David Linley, he is an English furniture maker and a former chairman of the auction house Christie's UK.

You’ll find an extensive collection of handcrafted Nelson statutes and nautical figures located above the Trafalgar Bar. For those of you interested in naval history, there’s a dedicated Nelson trail in Greenwich which includes our iconic Nelson statue.

In the 19th Century, French industrial clocks became very popular. At the time, they were largely made in Paris and the giant in the industry was André Romain Guilmet. Styles included steam engines, travel such as automobiles and boats. Take a look at our collection that sits above the Trafalgar Bar.

We have a series of original paintings of the Thames and Greenwich which were produced  throughout the Victorian era which give an insight into what it was like at the time. You can find them dotted throughout the Nile restaurant.

We have several antique chandeliers hanging throughout the Tavern. You’ll notice one, adorned in crystal, that is spectacularly grand, in the Nile Restaurant.