Heverlee 0623
Heverlee 0623

About us

The Radcliffe Arms is a Victorian pub in Hitchin, on the corner of Walsworth and Verulam Road. It was built around 1855 from red London brick, in a mix of styles, late Georgian villa, but with the classic Victorian bay windows, which let more light into the building. It was originally known as the Nightingale. The name was changed to The Radcliffe Arms in the late 19th century and was owned by local brewers Hall & Hall and then Lucas. Evidence suggests that by 1916 it was fully licensed, and passed to Greens of Luton in 1918 during the disposal of the Lucas empire.

Up until then, all of the pubs in Hitchin had been coaching inns, with as much space for horses as for people. Take a walk round the yards of the Red Hart, or The George (named incidentally after George Washington, not one of our Kings!) and you can still see the old stables. With the arrival of the railway, it meant the end of horse-drawn coaches, and new purpose-built hostelries were built, often in the vicinity of the main stations. Slowly, houses and communities would grow up around these, and the pubs would gain trade from local residents, particularly around the turn of the last century, when train speeds were faster in some cases, than they are today.

The Radcliffe family came originally from Lancashire, and moved to Hitchin to take up residence at the Priory, which had been confiscated from the monks, by Henry VIII, upon the establishment of the Church of England. The Radcliffe family bought the Priory Estate in 1548, and stayed there until 1965, when the last surviving member of the family sold the estate. The Radcliffes’ have played an important part in the social and cultural development of the town over those centuries, and it is in their honour that the Radcliffe Arms is so named. They have a road named after them too, and the South Chapel of St Mary’s Church holds the tombs of many members of the family.

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Facilities

Beer gardenCar parkDisabled facilitiesFamily friendlyFoodOutside areaReal aleSmoking areaQuiz nightsFootballTerrestrial TV

Pub reviews

Reviews

4.4/5

Alasdair Weir

3 months ago

Slow service, slow food delivery, only half of the pizza has the toppings on it, menu a bit too cool for its own good (no chips or wedges on the side?!), decor is starting to fray at the edges. Still a nice vibe though

Jess Wardrop

3 months ago

In for dinner with some friends on Friday night. Unsurprisingly given the time of year the pub was rammed with two large Christmas Parties so we were warned there would be a bit of a wait on the food. No drama, we were eating within 30 minutes of ordering and the food as delicious. A brilliant evening as always.

Iain Rendle

3 months ago

I’ll start by saying that’s not very Hitchin’y.. Upon arriving at 8pm and securing a table, we approached the bar with empty stomachs and full bank accounts - With the soul intention of exchanging hard earned money for sustenance. Despite the kitchen closing at 9:15 we were informed that they couldn’t take any more orders, the smell of I can’t be arse started to wreak from the kitchen. (Didn’t even look like it’s was that busy in the kitchen) I couldn’t convince a transaction. We alas sit here unsatisfied - devoid of pizza…..

Tiago Almeida

3 months ago

One of my favourite pubs in Hitchin. The closest you can get to Italian style pizza in the UK and locally sourced beers (both craft and real ales). I've been many times for both food and drinks and always had a great time!

Jennifer D

4 years ago

Went on a Sunday and had a lovely meal with the family. They had the usual menu plus a few Sunday lunch options which was a nice surprise. Wood fired pizzas are always good and staff are friendly too. Plus it's child and dog friendly. They have a nice outdoor space but it wasn't warm enough to sit outside. On certain days of the week they have special offers, like 2 for 1 pizzas, if you want a deal but it's reasonably priced anyway.

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Opening Times

Mon09:00 – 23:00
Tue09:00 – 23:00
Wed09:00 – 23:00
Thur09:00 – 23:00
Fri09:00 – 23:00
Sat09:00 – 00:00
Sun09:00 – 16:00
Pub food and drink

Food & drink

Sorry, we don't have any menus listed at the moment.

Food Times

Mon09:00 – 11:30 18:00 – 21:30
Tue09:00 – 11:30 18:00 – 21:30
Wed09:00 – 11:30 18:00 – 21:30
Thur09:00 – 11:30 18:00 – 21:30
Fri09:00 – 11:30 18:00 – 21:30
Sat09:00 – 11:30 18:00 – 21:30
Sun09:00 – 11:30 12:00 – 15:30
Heverlee 0623
Heverlee 0623