Why I Loved This Historic London Pub Tour And You Will Too

 

 Would I be in an alehouse in London! I would give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety. 

From Henry V. by Shakespeare 

I did not book this tour for the food and drink.  That may sound a bit bonkers but bear with me. Since I had not been in London for thirty years (I know!), I  booked this tour as a way to quickly orient myself to the city, and have some fun, too! Plus, the name of this tour grabbed me: Tastes, Tales, and Traditional Ales–City of London Pubs. Who doesn’t love a good story and a pint?  

Bars or pubs have always been places where journalists hang out to share tales and ales but also to get the scoop on a new story. The pubs along Fleet Street in central London were patronized by writers, you know, people like William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens; it kind of drives home the phrase, If these walls could talk. 

Devour Tours Tastes, Tales and Ales

A few years ago I took a tour of the Colosseum in Rome with City Walks.  On my next visit to Rome, I reached out to them about a food tour in Trastevere. By 2022, they had partnered with Devour Tours to handle the foodie tour offerings. I liked their tours so much that as soon as I booked my London trip I reached out to Devour again and booked their Taste,Tales and Traditional Ales–City of London PubTour, a walking tour of four of London’s historic pubs. 

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Historic London Pubs

Which is the oldest? It’s hard to know which of these pubs is truly the oldest pub in London, especially since so much of the city burned down in 1666. Generally, if a pub existed in a location before the fire, then that date is the origination date. In the end, it doesn’t matter. It’s more about the tale and the ale!

Here’s a brief synopsis of four historic London pubs we visited on the Devour tour.  Our guide Sue (she appears in a few of my photos),  did an excellent job recounting the tales of the pubs as well as historical information about London landmarks. 

Ye Olde Mitre

Our group breathed a collective “wow” before we even entered Ye Olde Mitre. First was the walk to the pub which was through a charming alley off of Ely Place and not via Hatton Garden.  A sign says Ye Olde Mitre 1546 but the original pub was demolished and rebuilt in the 1700s.  So, even though what you see looks very old it is not as old as you think. It’s also very small and can only accommodate a few people…this no doubt, adds to its charm.

Ye Olde Mitre is reached via a very narrow alleyway that is supposedly one of the hardest to find in all of Britain. I confess I’d not likely find my way back because I just followed the guide. There is something about a narrow and well-adorned alley that you just can’t help but love.

 

We had pork pie and a Fuller’s Ale since the Mitre is a Fuller’s house, which means it is owned by Fuller’s brewery.  Don’t worry, they do serve other brands. The pork pie was served with mustard and chutney. I was surprised at how tasty it was. The pastry was originally meant to serve only as a container for the meat. 

Parallel to Ely Place is Hatton Garden, famous as a jewelry district specializing in diamonds. Back in the day, there were over 100 jewelers there.  The name Hatton refers to Sir Christopher Hatton, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth who more or less gifted him much of Ely Place.  One thing you can be sure of, you’ll be walking in the footsteps of many royals. Fun Fact: Hatton Garden is a movie based on the true story of the 2015 jewelry heist in Hatton Garden. 

The Old Bell Tavern

I was especially curious about The Old Bell designed by none other than Sir Christopher Wren, possibly the most famous English architect. Originally called The Swan, there has been a pub on the site since the 1500s. At one time, there was also a printing press in the same location. 

In 1666, St. Bride’s cathedral, and just about everything else on Fleet St. burned in the great fire of London. Sir Christopher was commissioned to rebuild the church. To house his team of masons he built a hostel, The Old Bell, adjacent to St. Brides.  

If you can, sit at one of the tables by the stained glass window, it’s a pretty, cozy corner. We tried the fish and chips here and they were excellent accompanied by an Old Rosie Cider.  

 St. Brides is known for its steeple, the tallest in London for over two hundred years. In 1776 it was damaged by lightning and when rebuilt it was about a foot shorter than the original.  

To book this tour direct use this link. I get a small commission if you do but you will pay the same price regardless. That helps me offset expenses on the site. 

Ye Olde Chesire Cheese 

This pub dates to 1538 and like most buildings in this part of London, it burned down in 1666. However, they wasted no time and Ye Olde Chesire Cheese reopened within a year.

This place oozes atmosphere with many nooks and crannies in a maze-like configuration to explore. We followed Sue down several sets of stairs to a huge room with a gorgeous vaulted ceiling believed to have been part of a 13th-century Carmelite monastery. The half stout we all tried tasted especially good, no doubt due excellent ambiance. However, the white bait was cold by the time it was served.

When we arrived it was not too busy but the room soon began to fill and it was very, very noisy. Still, it’s a small price to pay to walk in the footsteps of Dickens, Mark Twain, and Tennyson, to name a few.  

Ye Olde Cock Tavern

Boasting the narrowest pub title, Ye Olde Cock Tavern dates back to the 1500s. Located on Fleet St. across from the Royal Courts of Justice and near Temple Church, made famous by Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code it offers something for history buffs and pub enthusiasts alike.

Are you curious about why it’s the old cock tavern? Well, a cock refers to a chicken or cockerel which you’ll see on the sign out front. The story is a bit gross, but according to our guide Sue and this article, the ale was brewed with the addition of skinned chicken during fermentation.  Enough about that, let me tell you more about the pub! It’s big! And feels less cozy than the others we visited.

It’s also a good place if you like shuffleboard. Our group played a round which was included in the tour. If you go on your own you’ll need to book a table in advance. We tried Scotch eggs with a beer but I should add that they have a large menu and offer a good wine and spirits selection.

After the tour, you’ll still be on Fleet Street and very close to the Thames. You can take a walk along the river or jump on a boat and cruise on the river. Or take a walk down Fleet St and imagine you’re following William Shakespeare or Charles Dickens. Stop for a pint or three and soon, you might imagine you’ve seen them. 

Stay

A good place to stay in this part of London for a reasonable price is the Apex Temple Court on Fleet Street. The tour passes this hotel. I’ve stayed at the Apex in Bath twice now. The rates are affordable for the locations and the included breakfast is a great way to start the day. If you book through one of my affiliate links I get a small commission but it doesn’t cost you anything extra. Check rates on Booking.com here.  and Hotels.com  here.