General Information

The Ten Bells is a public house located in Spitalfields. It is notable for its association with two victims of Jack the Ripper, Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly, but it is also a beautifully decorated, lively and trendy East London pub with a long tradition that extends to the 18th century.

Interiors: Highlights

The interior is decorated with extraordinary Victorian tiling. Two walls feature a blue and white floral pattern tiling scheme and there is a colourful tiled dado going round the room. Of particular note is the 19-the century mural of painted tiles on the northern wall, entitled Spitalfields in ye Olden Time – visiting a Weaver’s Shop.

Interesting Facts

Between 1976 and 1988, the public house was named ‘The Jack the Ripper’, and memorabilia relating to the case were displayed in the bars. The brewery ordered the change back to its original name after a long campaign by Reclaim the Night demanded that a murderer of women should not be commemorated in such a fashion.

Interiors: Explained

The Ten Bells was renovated by current landlord John Twomey in 2010 to fully display the pub’s Victorian heritage. The renovation also included the addition of a new mural titled Smithfields in Modern Times. This was painted by artist Ian Harper. Rather than feature the weavers of the 19th century, the painting depicts 21st-century Spitalfields scenes and characters, such as Gilbert and George.