The Spotted Dog, former public house

 
212 Upton Lane. Newham 

The Spotted Dog is the oldest secular building in Newham. It is a former coaching inn built in the 16th century. According to legend it was used as kennels for Henry VIII's hunting dogs. Whether this is true or not, it is an important and rare survival of a timber framed and weather boarded building in this area of London. It is on the EH Buildings at Risk register, and has suffered unscheduled works at the hands of the owner, as well as damage from squatters. Prince Charles has shown an interest in the fate of the building, and Newham are considering a compulsory purchase order. HOLT Ops are interested in taking the building on as a project. The Trustees of HOLT have offered a grant of £1,000 to HOLT Ops for a feasibility study into the state of the building, its restoration, and possible future uses. This looks set to get underway in early 2009. On July 2nd, 2009, members of HOLT and HOLT Ops, along with representatives of Newham Council, visited the Spotted Dog with new HOLT Turstee Ed Vaizey MP, Shadow Arts Minister, to discuss the future of the building.

Photo: (below): Ed Vaizey MP (2nd from right) with Diana Beattie (front), HOLT trustees and representatives from Newham Council, on a visit to the Spotted Dog on July 2nd, 2009.