St Albans has seen plenty of boozers come and go over the years, and here are seven long-lost pubs you might have forgotten about.
1 - Blue Anchor
Now a residential building, The Blue Anchor was once a popular haunt in Fishpool Street.
The pub occupied an 18th century building which became Grade II listed in 1971.
Little has changed on the outside since brewery McMullens closed the pub in 2014, with the classic Blue Anchor signage remaining as an ode to its previous use.
Bizarrely, the pub appeared in the Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice. In receipts on Epstein's American Express card, you can see his former pilot made a transaction for £6.85 in the pub on May 10, 2004.
On a slightly lighter note, the pub's exterior also featured in The Avengers 1968 episode "The Morning After".
2 - Baton
Residents of Marshalswick and beyond said farewell to The Baton on June 10, 2016.
The Ridgeway pub was well known for its live sports offering, alongside a pair of pool tables and dartboard. Punters also came for the occasional live music on Friday as well as a weekly pub quiz.
Built in the 1960s, The Baton underwent an extensive refurbishment in 2005 which resulted in an upgraded interior. It was demolished to make way for flats and a Marks & Spencer food hall.
3 - The Camp
Situated at 149 Camp Road, this venue was in the heart of the community. Campaigners fought tooth and nail to save the pub from demolition, but lost in March 2016 when councillors voted in favour of the redevelopment.
Brewery McMullen & Son had previously shut the pub and sold it to developer Howarth Homes who eventually demolished the building and erected housing.
The Camp was known for its sports-focus with large TV screens, pool and a local darts team. It also had a popular quiz night every Thursday.
4 - Duke of Marlborough
A popular pub at the foot of Holywell Hill, The Duke of Marlborough offered a convenient watering hole for visitors to Verulamium Park, but struggled to attract city centre punters in the evenings.
Inside, customers could find walls decorated with rugby memorabilia - many of the shirts belonged to Australian teams.
It was previously known as The Tap & Spile in the 1990s and by 2014 scaffolding has been put ahead of its change to residential use.
5 - Barley Mow
This pub has been shut for more than 50 years so why is it still in the minds of local drinkers?
The Barley Mow in Tyttenhangar closed in 1984, but remains a piece of CAMRA history. Many hark back to the pub's glory days in the late 1970s where it was described as a "mecca for real ale" and visited by drinkers across the country.
The pub changed hands a few times during its successful years, but continued to stock real ales until the landlord's health unfortunately deteriorated. Trade began to suffer at the hands of a new buyer and it swiftly closed.
According to a report on pubs galore, there was also an 'in pub' challenge that if anyone could drink a pint of each of the 18 beers available in one session the landlord would pay. This was never achieved.
The site was demolished in May 2018 to make way for housing.
6 - Rats Castle
Okay this pub has not quite been forgotten.
Hatfield Road boozer, The Rats Castle, became a frequent haunt for those in the Fleetville community.
In May 2025, punters said goodbye to the iconic branding which was replaced by a new identity - The Old Toll House. The new name is an homage to the original turnpike toll house which was based on the site before it was known as The Rats Castle.
Its original name was coined due to an alleged rodent infestation in the surrounding area.
Despite a well earned makeover and spruce up, many still remember the venue by its former identity.
This is not the first time The Rats had a rebrand however, as it was briefly called the "Castle" in the 1980s by its owner, but the original name was restored after a campaign by locals.
The Old Toll House remains open under the care of Heiniken's Star Pubs. A new refurbished interior features plenty of screens showing live sport and well-loved pool table remains.
7- Black Lion
Residing opposite The Blue Anchor, this pub was also a popular spot in a bustling section of Fishpool Street.
The 18th century venue was a large corner pub in St Michael's village which attracted customers with its live music offering. The Black Lion could be booked for bed and breakfast accommodation too.
It closed in 2012 and has since been converted into a "luxury home" worth around £2.25 million.
The boozer went through a number of changes in its latter years. In November 2007 it opened as Savanna, a fine dining and cocktail bar. It is unclear when these changes were reverted.
Much of the information sourced regarding these lost pubs can be found here: https://www.closedpubs.co.uk/hertfordshire/stalbans.html
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