Pubs and London go together. These are the historic drinking spots of the city, where people have gathered together to enjoy a pint or two for centuries. Despite the ravages of the centuries, you can still find city centre pubs with incredible historical stories attached to them. We take a look at 5 of the best such pubs.
Tucked down an alleyway in Covent Garden, is the areas most historic pub – the Lamb & Flag. Drinkers have included the likes of Charles Dickens and even the seventeenth century poet John Dryden. According to legend, someone even tried to murder Dryden in one of the nearby streets for this was at that time, not exactly the most salubrious of areas. This was also a pub where the entertainment used to include bare-knuckle fights. Today, it is much more civilized and you can be guaranteed a friendly welcome and a good pint of beer. You can also find variety of Holiday Apartments London and activities suitable for you nearby.
The Seven Stars in Carey Street, just behind the Royal Courts of Justice is extremely popular with judges, barristers and solicitors. Avoid the lunchtime rush and go in the afternoon or before lunch to really appreciate this pub. It is a very old building and quite unique since it was one of the very few places in the city to survive the Great Fire of London in the mid seventeenth century.
Further up in Fleet Street, is one of the most well known pubs in London, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. Rebuilt after the Great Fire of London, it has a maze like interior of rooms in which it is easy to lost. For centuries, this was THE pub you had to visit if you wanted to find a journalist as this was the area dominated by the media. Well known visitors include Dickens and Samuel Johnson.
From the door of your luxuries Presidential Serviced Apartment Kensington, try The Lamb in Lambs Conduit Street. It has been justly described as “an exceptional piece of Victoriana”, so if you want to get a feel for what pubs were like in Victorian times, this is definitely the place to go. Not surprisingly, Dickens – a fan of pub life – was once one of its regular drinkers. It was also popular with members of the twentieth century Bloomsbury set. The pub has retained some really unique features such as the lovely, gleaming horse shoe shaped bar and the ‘snob screens’. Take a look too at the polyphon which is on display. This was the forerunner of the gramophone or record player.
Take a stroll along Holborn and search for Ye Olde Mitre Tavern. It takes some patience as it is hidden away in Ely Court, Hatton Garden but it is well worth the visit. This is one of the most traditional pubs in London. Although the existing building goes back to 1772, there has actually been a pub on this site since Tudor times. Amazingly it is actually owned by the Diocese of Ely in Cambridgeshire, due to the fact that it was originally used by the servants of the Bishop of Ely who had a palace close by. More intriguingly are legends that one visitor to the pub was a certain lady called Elizabeth Tudor, better known as Elizabeth I, who apparently danced around the pub’s cherry tree!
So, try a slower paced tour with one of the many London Tours operating minutes from Aparthotels London.
