Dog and Duck, St George's Fields
| Dog and Duck | |
|---|---|
The Dog and Duck painted by Thomas H. Shepherd in the 19th century, based on a 1646 drawing. Shepherd specialised in painting old London buildings before they were demolished. | |
| General information | |
| Status | Demolished |
| Location | St George's Fields |
| Coordinates | 51°29′44″N 0°6′31″W / 51.49556°N 0.10861°W |
| Construction started | 1642 or earlier |
| Demolished | 1812 |
The Dog and Duck was a tavern built upon St George's Fields in London in the 17th century. It was named after the sport of duck-baiting, that took place in adjacent wetland. In the 18th century its gardens were used as a spa but, by the 1770s, with spas no longer fashionable, it declined into a rowdy location for concerts. The magistrates refused to renew its licence, despite protracted legal disputes, and it closed in 1799. The building was then used as a School for the Indigent Blind and demolished in 1812, when the new Bethlem Hospital was built upon the site. That building is now used by the Imperial War Museum.