London certainly has its fair share of historic boozers, each of them bursting at the seams with fascinating stories to tell. Few come with more ancient anecdotes than Ye Olde Mitre, though. Well, if you actually manage to find it, that is…
Notorious for being London’s hardest to locate pub, this Holborn haunt dates all the way back to the 16th century, and is tucked away at the end of a rather inconspicuous alleyway. It’s been standing in the exact same spot since it was built in 1546, but until the 1960’s, it was technically in Cambridgeshire. How does that work, I hear you ask? Settle in, folks – I think it’s time for a mini Secret London history lesson.
Credit: @yeoldemitreholborn via Instagram
The history of Ye Olde Mitre
The original pub was built to cater to the servants that worked at the Bishops of Ely’s palace nearby. The palace had been built in the 13th century and was considered far too beautiful to belong to London (rude, I know). As the surrounding land (pub included) belonged to the Bishops of Ely at the time, they declared the area as part of Cambridgeshire, and it stayed that way until the 1960s, when it finally became part of London.
As Cambridgeshire had different bylaws to London, it’s said that criminals could avoid being arrested by the Met Police inside Ye Olde Mitre, as it was outside of their jurisdiction. There are also stories told of Queen Elizabeth I dancing around the cherry tree in the pub’s garden with Sir Christopher Hatton.
Credit: @yeoldemitreholborn via Instagram
Nowadays, Ye Olde Mitre is a warm and welcoming boozer, nestled away from the hustle and bustle of the capital. It boasts two cosy drinking rooms, separated by a central bar, and an upstairs room (called the Bishop’s Room, obviously) which is available to privately hire. It’s adorned with dark wooden furniture and whole host of Elizabethan memorabilia and offers a menu of constantly changing beers and classic bar snacks.
It’s a real gem in London’s boozy crown – and it may play hard to get, but that just makes it all the sweeter when you eventually find it.
Credit: @yeoldemitreholborn via Instagram
đź“Ť 1 Ely Court, Ely Place, EC1N 6SJ.