In a city as old as London, you can bet that quite a few of our buildings and venues have some pretty impressive stories to tell. In particular, London’s many magnificent boozers, some of which date back to the 1500s, have some wild histories. Take, for example, Ye Olde Cock Tavern, which boasts a fascinating past and a unique claim to fame.
Ye Olde Cock Tavern is one of the oldest pub names in the city, dating all the way back to the candlelit evenings of 1549. In its current guise, as a drinking hole on Fleet Street, the venue has been around since 1887. In that time, it’s been known to pour jugs of beer for a hefty number of people, including some of the city’s most famed literary icons. And as if its storied past wasn’t enough, it’s also reputed to be the narrowest pub in the whole city!
The narrowest pub in London
Now, from our description, you might think this is a ‘blink-and-you’d-miss-it’ pub that shrinks into its surroundings. But, to be honest, as long as you don’t look away completely, you’d be hard-pressed to miss the stunning frontage of this old-school boozer.
Nestled between two taller buildings on Fleet Street, Ye Olde Cock Tavern’s narrow frontage is also perhaps a touch misleading. While the entranceway is indeed impressively slim, the pub itself opens out considerably once you step through the door.
Nowadays, it’s owned by Greene King, serving up Sunday roasts and giving visitors a place to drop in for a drink after a look around St. Paul’s. Even all these years later, though, it’s hard to get away from that flurry of literary history.
Ye Olde Cock Tavern’s history
Once upon a time, Ye Olde Cock Tavern was situated elsewhere entirely – on the other side of Fleet Street. But in 1887, when the Bank of England took over the space, the pub crossed the road and found a handy (albeit narrow) spot to squeeze into.
Sadly, much of the pub’s original interiors were destroyed in a fire in the 90s. But there’s still plenty of history within these walls. Walk inside, and you’ll be greeted with a set of old paintings. But there’s more to this boozer than just some artwork! Some enormous names from the British literary canon have stepped through these self-same doors (albeit, perhaps when it was situated across the street…).
Both Charles Dickens and seismic diarist Samuel Pepys are thought to have been visitors to Ye Olde Cock Tavern in its time. The pub also gets mentioned by name in Virginia Woolf’s 1928 work Orlando.
Woolf recalls the pub in its 16th-century form and speaks of a meeting there when it was named the Cock Tavern, saying: ‘He could remember, he said, a night at the Cock Tavern in Fleet Street when Kit Marlowe was there and some others.’
So, next time you’re walking down Fleet Street, be sure to pop in for a pint and some fascinating London history.
📍 Ye Olde Cock Tavern, 22 Fleet Street, Temple, EC4Y 1AA. The nearest stations are Blackfriars and Temple.
🍻 Find out more on their website.
