THE PIG in the Wall

Built into Southampton’s ancient city walls, THE PIG-in the wall is the smallest and only urban PIG. Behind its Georgian façade are just 12 rooms and a relaxed deli, with the medieval Old Town, waterfront and centuries of maritime history immediately outside.

Story

The townhouse dates to around 1820, when it was built as a private residence for Elizabeth Craven, Margravine of Anspach, an author, playwright and well-travelled aristocrat. At the time, Southampton’s shoreline reached almost to its front door.

In 1866, the house became The Royal Standard pub, before later uses and eventual restoration. THE PIG opened here in 2012, retaining original beams, stonework and the building’s irregular rooms and staircases. Today it sits directly within Southampton’s surviving medieval walls, connecting almost 1,000 years of city history with a much more intimate form of hospitality.

Why we selected THE PIG in the Wall

A window onto Southampton's maritime past

This was once waterfront property. Today the docks remain central to Southampton life, while ferries, liners and yachts continue the city's centuries-old relationship with the sea.

You sleep within the city’s history

Southampton’s medieval walls don't simply surround the hotel; they form part of its setting. Step outside and the Old Town, Bargate and Tudor House continue the story.

The smallest and most intimate PIG

With only 12 rooms, this feels more like a characterful townhouse than a country hotel — and its crooked staircases, eaves, beams and irregular spaces have been embraced rather than corrected.

Country produce in the heart of the city

Produce travels around 20 minutes from THE PIG in the New Forest, supplemented by suppliers across Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight.

Local life & traditions

Southampton has been shaped by the sea, trade and travel for centuries. Its medieval walls protected a thriving port, while the Old Town still contains traces of merchants, sailors and generations of travellers who passed through it.

That maritime identity remains strong today. Ferries cross the Solent to the Isle of Wight, enormous liners depart from the docks and waterfront walks trace a city whose relationship with the sea has never really disappeared.

Authentic experiences in the area

Walk Southampton's medieval walls

Step straight from the hotel onto the historic Western Esplanade, following the surviving walls towards Bargate, Tudor House and the lanes of the Old Town.

Discover the city's maritime story

Follow the waterfront towards Mayflower Park and the docks, tracing Southampton’s evolution from medieval trading port to one of Britain’s great passenger gateways.

Cross the Solent to the Isle of Wight

Walk to Town Quay and take the Red Funnel ferry to Cowes, turning the hotel’s port-city location into a day exploring the island before returning to Southampton.

Follow the food back to the New Forest

Head around 20 minutes into the countryside to THE PIG in Brockenhurst, where the Kitchen Garden supplying the city property connects Southampton back to Hampshire’s farms and forest.

Protecting culture & land

The building’s Grade II-listed fabric and imperfections remain visible, from original stone walls and wooden floors to beams, fireplaces and awkward spaces that reveal the age of the townhouse.

Its food model is equally unusual for a city hotel. Rather than abandoning THE PIG's local philosophy because there is no garden, produce arrives daily from the New Forest and nearby Hampshire, Dorset and Isle of Wight suppliers.

Location & surroundings

THE PIG-in the wall sits on Western Esplanade in Southampton's Old Town, directly alongside the medieval city walls.

The Bargate, Tudor House, waterfront and Town Quay are all close by, while the New Forest lies around 20 minutes away and ferries provide an easy connection to the Isle of Wight.

Key details

Address

THE PIG-in the wall
8 Western Esplanade
Southampton
SO14 2A

Getting here

By train: Southampton Central is the main station and is close to the hotel.

By plane: Southampton Airport is the closest airport, with onward travel into the city by train, taxi or car.

By car: Southampton is around 90 minutes from London.

Facilities

Deli-bar

Outdoor terrace

Bar & lounge

More

12 individually designed bedrooms

Original fireplaces, beams & stonework

Every stay booked direct keeps value with the people of this place, so they can reinvest in culture, community and land

We believe travel should give back more than it takes; that it can protect cultures, not erode them.

That is why we connect you directly with each hotel’s own website. By booking direct, value remains in the hands of those who shape these places, enabling reinvestment into local culture, community, and land.