The Letchford Arms was one of those pubs that seemed to have always been there. Built in 1868, it stood on the corner of Headstone Lane, serving customers and regulars for well over a century.
Over the years, it had its fair share of changes, with major refurbishments in 1928 and 1981, but at its core, it remained a proper community pub – one of those places you’d walk in and everyone knows your name and bar staff know your ‘usual’.
A favourite lunchtime spot for teachers from Hatch End High School just across the road, The Letchford was the kind of place where you’d overhear conversations about everything from school politics to last night’s football results. It had two pool tables tucked away at the back, which saw their fair share of action, sometimes competitive, sometimes just an excuse to pass the time with a pint in hand.
Like many traditional pubs in Harrow, The Letchford struggled in its later years. It eventually closed in 2012, and by November 2015, it was gone for good, demolished and replaced by flats, as is so often the case.
There’s nothing left of it now, except for the memories of those who had a drink there, played a game of pool, or simply popped in for a break from the school day. The name ‘Letchford’ itself might date back to Dr. Letchford, a Harrow figure who died in 1665 and is buried in the nearby parish church.
Whether he would have approved of the pub that shared his name is anyone’s guess, but for generations, The Letchford Arms was part of the community in Harrow’s and it’s still missed to this day.
Seamus Donaghy is a freelance writer with a strong interest in Harrow’s local history. Originally from Sligo in the Republic of Ireland, Seamus moved to Harrow with his family when he was seven years old and grew up in Wealdstone. He has lived in the borough for more than 30 years and writes about the people, places and stories that have shaped Harrow over the years.
