Hampstead · Camden
The Magdala
The pub behind the shooting that shocked England
- Address2a South Hill Park, Hampstead, London, NW3 2SB
- Phone020 7433 8322
- Websitethemagdala.co.uk
- OwnershipPart of Twickenham Green Taverns
About The Magdala
A Victorian tavern on the edge of Hampstead Heath, infamous as the spot where Ruth Ellis killed her lover in 1955.
Opened in the mid-nineteenth century and named after the British victory at the Battle of Magdala (1868), this pub earned a place in England's criminal history on 10 April 1955, when Ruth Ellis shot and killed her lover David Blakely outside the pub; Ellis would be the last woman executed in the UK. After years of closures and reopenings, a spell as a comedy venue and then closure for almost a decade, the Magdala reopened in May 2021, restored by the small Twickenham Green Taverns group, which also runs the Sussex Arms in Twickenham. The ground floor keeps a near-intact 1930s room, with wood panelling and a Tudor-style fireplace. In 2025 it was named Pub of the Year by CAMRA's north London branch, in recognition of its careful renovation and its craft-beer offer.
On tap
Rotating British craft-beer casks alongside classic cocktails and a well-chosen wine list.
Food
Seasonal gastropub cooking with fire-grilled touches, built for relaxed lunches and dinners.
More pubs in Hampstead
- The FlaskThe pocket-sized classic of Flask Walk
- The Freemasons ArmsThe pub with a garden and an English skittles alley
- The Holly BushA gas lamp burning high above Hampstead