Half Moon, Herne Hill

The Half Moon is a Grade II* listed public house at 10 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill, London. It is one of only 270 pubs on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors, was frequented by the poet and writer Dylan Thomas, and has been a noteworthy live music venue for over 40 years. The Half Moon Public House is listed by Southwark Council as an Asset of Community Value.

An inn has stood on the site at the west end of Half Moon Lane, nearest Herne Hill, since the middle of the 17th century, but the first public house "known by the Sign of the Half Moon" was built by Joseph Miller in 1760.

In 1844, Edward Alleyn's original tombstone, removed many years before from Dulwich College Chapel, was 're-discovered' in the skittle ground of the Half Moon, where it was believed to be serving as a cover or break-water for a parish sewer. It is said that the tombstone had "doubtless proved advantageous to the landlord in drawing visitors to his house." One contemporary source states that "Mr. Webb, of the Half Moon Inn, Dulwich, presented the college with the original gravestone of Edward Alleyn, which for many years had been preserved by himself and father in the tea gardens at the rear of the inn." John Webb is shown to be the tenant of the Half Moon Public House, stable and paddock for 22 years from 1824. John Webb of the Half Moon Public House, Dulwich is also shown in Old Bailey records from 1833, providing a reference of good character for a prisoner named William Patten, aged 22, who was found guilty of stealing 2 live pigs and sentenced to be "Transported for Seven Years".

The Census return for 1851 shows that Mr. Webb the proprietor of the Half Moon employed five staff. In 1853, William John Webb, is shown as giving evidence in the Old Bailey in the case of Daniel Allen, aged 32, feloniously uttering a forged ten shilling Bank of England note, with intent to defraud. He states in his evidence, "I keep the Half-moon, at Dulwich. On Sunday, 7th Nov., between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I was in my bar; the prisoner came in and asked me if I could change a 10/. note for Mrs. Goulding—I told him I could—he had a glass of ale and a cigar, and then left—I paid the note into the Excise-office next day (Monday), and on the following Saturday it was returned to me stamped "Forged"—I had not known the prisoner before—this was on a Sunday—people dress differently on a Sunday in my neighbourhood." The prisoner was found guilty and "Transported for Ten Years".

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