'I visited Ian McKellan's 440 year old pub where Gandalf actor pops by for quiz'
Sir Ian McKellan may be one of the greatest stage and screen actors of all time, but when he's not playing a character you might find him in a small and quaint pub located in Limehouse, London - right on the street where he lives.
The 84-year-old actor, who has played many legendary roles including Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, bought The Grapes back in 2011 with business partners Sean Mathias and Evgeny Lebedev.
Just after moving to London, I passed Sir Ian while on a run along Narrow Street, where the pub is located. So over six years later it's about time I get to know what the charming-looking pub is like.
The Grapes is located on Narrow Street (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)
It's super cosy (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)Sir Ian isn't the only celebrity to own a London pub. I previously visited Snatch director Guy Ritchie's gastro pub in Fitzrovia, and as I continue my tour of celebrity-owned boozers, I was desperate to see what The Grapes is like.
As I walked inside the pub on a Wednesday afternoon and sat at the bar, my face lit up as I spotted a very familiar piece of film memorabilia - Gandalf's staff. As a huge Lord of the Rings fan, I couldn't help but sit close to it so I could enjoy my pint while staring at the "you shall not pass" walking stick.
Sir Ian starred as Gandalf in a total of six films, including the Hobbit trilogy (Sky)Of course, the pub's significance isn't just that it's owned by the legend himself - it was also frequented by writers such as Charles Dickens, and you'll also spot a complete collection of the author's works in the corner - right next to a statue of Gandalf on a horse.
As the bartender told me, the historic pub was established in 1583, and looks exactly like the type of place you would imagine Dickens hanging out in. It was first established as a working-class tavern for the dockers in the Limehouse Basin area, and although the current building only dates back to 1720, it still has that old-timey feel to it. It's a quaint, traditional pub with wooden furniture, cosy carpet, a fireplace and an incredible view of the Thames at the back.
The bar isn't huge, but it has most things you could wish to order (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)There's not a huge selection of drinks behind the small bar, but there's something to suit everyone's tastes, with some drafts like San Miguel and Carlsberg, a couple of bitters and ales, as well as ciders, whiskeys, gins and other spirits. It wasn't packed full of people and there was no music, but there was enough chatter to create a homely atmosphere.
There are little hints to who owns the pub here and there (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)
I enjoyed a nice, cold pint at the bar (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)There was a good mix of people, some are clearly there to experience Sir Ian's pub, and come up to the bar to take a picture of Gandalf's staff. The bartender told me that people come from all over the world to see the pub owned by the iconic actor. He confirmed some people come just to experience the boozer, but others are locals who pop in for a drink.
According to the staff member, if you're lucky enough you might see Ian pop in "from time to time" - but Sir Ian himself recently confirmed he doesn't do this much anymore.
There's a complete collection of Charles Dickens to enjoy (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)
My jaw dropped when I saw Gandalf's staff (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)The venue also has a pub quiz which Sir Ian himself hosted up until he was "sacked" from the job. During a previous appearance on The One Show, Ian explained: "I don't drop in too often, but I'm invariably there for the quiz on a Monday, I used to run the quizzes.
"I used to actually be the Quizmaster and I devised all the quiz questions. It took me a whole day in the week. 40 questions! And I did this for a year and then my partner Shaun said, 'We don’t need you anymore!'I was sacked! From my own pub, doing a job for which I wasn't paid."
You can see the Anthony Gormley statue from the balcony (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)
The view is incredible, and it's a nice place to sit on a sunny day (Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz)After finishing my pint at the bar, I took a further look inside the pub, which has so many interesting things to look at. On a clear day you can head to the back of the bar, where there's a small balcony with an amazing view of The Thames.
In the water I spotted a statue of a man, which I later researched and found out is titled Another Time, a life-sized figure by Angel of the North sculptor Anthony Gormley. The sculpture mysteriously appeared in 2013, but it was later revealed to have been acquired by Sir Ian himself, and now takes pride of place by his boozer.
On a more gloomy day, there are plenty of boardgames inside for revellers to enjoy, and there's also a restaurant area inside. As the kitchen was closed, I will definitely be back to try out the food and attempt to win the pub quiz.
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