The Lion And The Unicorn Waterloo

Look, there’s a pub in Waterloo, London, called The Lion and The Unicorn. It sounds like the start of a medieval fantasy novel, right? Well, it’s real, and it’s packed with more history than your gran’s dusty attic.

This place isn’t just a pit stop for tourists dodging the rain. It’s named after the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, where a lion and a unicorn are literally fighting forever. Spoiler alert: the unicorn always loses—but we’ll get to that drama.

The Royal Fight Club

So, why a lion and a unicorn? The lion stands for England, all roar and ego. The unicorn represents Scotland, all sparkle and stubbornness. Their “battle” on the royal crest is a symbol of unity, but let’s be real: it looks like an argument over the last scone.

Inside the pub, you’ll see these two creatures plastered everywhere. The lion is chained up (rude), and the unicorn wears a crown with a nettle collar. Fun fact: the Scottish unicorn is considered the national animal of Scotland. Yes, a mythical beast is their mascot—because why choose a stag when you can have a horse with a built-in shish kebab?

Waterloo’s Secret Social Club

This pub sits right near the Old Vic Theatre and the thundering trains of Waterloo Station. It’s been a watering hole for actors, commuters, and confused drunk people since the 19th century. Legend has it that Charles Dickens himself might have propped up the bar here. The man knew good ale and weird names.

But here’s a twist: the building was originally a coaching inn—a place where horses and humans rested before the railway ruined their monopoly. Imagine coaches pulling up, and the innkeeper yelling, “We’ve got unicorn stew! (Just kidding, it’s mutton.)”

The Real Joke About the Unicorn

Now, for the uncomfortable truth: the unicorn is always depicted with its horn growing backwards on the crest. That’s not a typo—it’s a medieval burn. English heraldry rules said a conquered creature must have its weapon turned away. So the poor Scottish unicorn looks like it’s trying to stab its own bum.

Lion & Unicorn - Waterloo, Liverpool. | Church Road. Close t… | Flickr

“Ha ha, you’re defeated, sparkle-horse!” the lion seems to say. But the unicorn gets the last laugh: the pub is named after both of them, and nobody remembers the lion’s name. It’s just “the lion.” The unicorn gets top billing. Checkmate, mane-muncher.

A Pint with the Peculiar

Today, the pub serves pub grub so classic it hurts: bangers and mash, fish and chips, and a Sunday roast that could cure mild depression. The interior is all dark wood, creaky floors, and stained glass showing the royal animals. It’s like drinking inside a history textbook, but the textbook has a beer tap.

Surprising fact: during the Battle of Waterloo (1815), this area was just fields. The pub’s name actually comes from the Waterloo Bridge reconstruction in the 1810s, not the battle. But tell that to the tourists who pose for photos shouting, “I conquered Waterloo!” Yeah, you conquered a lager.

The Ghost of Bad Decisions

Rumor has it the pub is haunted by a grey lady—a ghost who apparently can’t stand bad karaoke. She’s been seen floating near the stairs, probably looking for a less rowdy afterlife. True story: a barman once quit because his pint glass moved by itself. Or he was just pants at pulling pints. We’ll never know.

Waterloo Station Now Has Four Pubs | Londonist

The Lion and Unicorn also hosted suffragette meetings in the early 1900s. Imagine these fierce women arguing over voting rights while a drunken lion and unicorn mural glared at them. “Ladies, please! We’re trying to establish patriarchy here!”

Why You Should Visit Today

If you ever find yourself in Waterloo, go. The pub is a two-minute walk from the London Eye, but that’s tourist trap nonsense. This is the real deal—a place where you can drink a pint of London Pride and pretend you’re a Viking who’s just discovered toast.

Order a scotch egg (a boiled egg wrapped in sausage—yes, it’s as insane as it sounds). Then stare at the unicorn horn and whisper, “You tried, buddy. You tried.” Because that’s the spirit of London: gloriously weird, historically confused, and always up for a laugh.

So cheers to the lion, the unicorn, and the pub that refuses to pick a side. Drink like a royal, act like a peasant. That’s the Waterloo way.