Like the Blythe Hill Tavern, this pub is one of London’s Real Heritage Pubs and the description is as follows: “A beautifully preserved example of inter-war pub-fitting. The original building is Victorian but it was given a through remodelling in the 1930s and this work is cherished by the current owners who offer a good balance between drinking and dining. The window glass tells us that the front left-hand room was the public bar, while the right-hand one was the saloon lounge. The glass is a lovely survivor with clear, textured panes enlivened with mottled green glass. There is a third room behind the public bar: both these left-hand rooms have wall panelling and attractive, original tiled fireplaces. The saloon lounge, extended out from the Victorian pub, has an interesting rounded termination and a very individual red-brick fireplace which is a complete contrast to the others. The bar counters and back fittings are original but quite conventional: the latter, on the saloon lounge side, appears to have had a dumb waiter (currently occupied by wine bottles). Don’t miss the quite delightful 1930s chairs in the saloon lounge with their sides made of solid boards and their upward-sweeping arm rests.”

The Herne Tavern featured on the Daytime Crawl of Herne Hill, Dulwich and Sydenham in February 2004, the Daytime Crawl of South East London in June 2007, and The Beautiful South: Daytime Crawl of Outer South East London in October 2011.