Categories: BarsEntertainment

London’s oldest pubs: where booze meets history

One could not be wrong by saying that every pub has a story to tell. 

After surviving historic fires, war bombs and post-war developers, very few public houses in London can now pride themselves to be established centuries ago. How might we define which are the oldest beer joints in the capital: is it by the length of the licence, age of the building or rather name and location?

The candidates for the oldest boozer name

  • Lamb & Flag: first mentioned in 1772 under the name of The Coopers Arms.
  • The Seven Stars: established in 1602 and named after 7 Provinces of the Netherlands to attract the Dutch sailors in the 17th century.
  • The Tipperary: claimed to be the oldest Irish pub in London since 1667 and the first one to serve Guinness in England.
  • Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese: rebuilt in 1667 after being damaged in the Great Fire of London. The original pub date goes back to 1538.
  • The Old Bell Tavern: built in 1670 on the earlier site of the Swan’s tavern that was the location of the Fleet Street’s workshop with first installed printing press.
  • Ye Olde Mitre: often said to be the hardest pub to find in London, the boozer can be reached through a narrow passageway off Hatton Gardens. First reports of establishment were made in 1546.
Lamb & Flag, 33 Rose St, WC2E 9EB, located in the heart of Covent Garden.
The Seven Stars, 53 Carey Street, WC2A 2JB, situated behind the Royal Courts of Justice.
The Tipperary, 66 Fleet St, EC4Y 1HT.
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, 145 Fleet St, EC4A 2BU.
The Old Bell Tavern, 95 Fleet St, EC4Y 1DH.
Ye Olde Mitre, 1 Ely Court, Ely Place, EC1N 6SJ.

If you are looking to have a great time and don’t mind a little exploration, organising a pub crawl around these pubs would definitely make your night. Follow our pub crawl map below and find out why Lamb & Flag establishment acquired the nickname of “The Bucket of Blood” or which boozers were the most visited and loved by Charles Dickens. 

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1sx8LJEgJ81FHixmF2RD5ZsmW_uPd7SbR&hl=en&w=640&h=480]
Source: Ruta Tamulynaite

Plus… if you are looking for a hangover solution for the next day, watch the video below.

Words, picture gallery, map and video: Ruta Tamulynaite
Featured image and video footage: Pixabay

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