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Around High Holborn
by Edgar belka
Edgar Belka continues his occasional series on central London pub crawls.
Early in April I took a trip around a few pubs in the High Holborn area I hadn't visited for over a year.
If you don't know the area start at Farringdon station and head along to Ely Court, off Hatton Garden. Be warned, the entrance to this tiny courtyard can be difficult to spot.
Olde Mitre Tavern, 1 Ely Court, Hatton Garden, EC1N 6SJ
Adnams Bitter; Ind Coope Burton Ale; Tetley Bitter.
This is a cosy and welcoming pub with two small wood panelled bars. The original tavern was built in 1547 for the servants from the Palace of the Bishops of Ely. Queen Elizabeth forced the bishops to rent some of the land to Sir Christopher Hatton, one of her courtiers. Palace and pub were demolished in 1772, but the pub was soon re-built. A stone from the palace gatehouse is built into a wall, and the preserved trunk of a cherry tree, which marked the boundary of the diocese, can be seen in the corner of the front bar.
From the Olde Mitre I walked along High Holborn, past Chancery Lane tube station to the next pub.
Cittie of York, 22 High Holborn, WC1V 6BS
Sam Smiths OBB.
This unique pub stands adjacent to the gatehouse to Gray's Inn. In 1695, it was a coffee house, standing well back from the road. In the 1890s the building was partially demolished and rebuilt with much of the original material. The intimate panelled front bar, sits above the cellar bar, that is the original cellarage of the 17th century Coffee House. The large rear room covers the ground occupied by the original coffee house. It resembles a large 'baronial hall' with its vaulted ceiling and massive vats, standing on a gantry above the long bar counter. The bar is warmed in winter by a triangular coal stove that has a duct under the floor to allow the smoke to escape.
My next stop was further along High Holborn, on the opposite side of the road.
Penderel's Oak, 286-288 High Holborn, WC1V 7HJ
Courage Best, Directors; Shepherd Neame Spitfire; Castle Eden Nimmos; Oakhill Brewery Black Magic Stout; Freeminer BSH.
This pub gets its name from the oak tree belonging to Richard Penderel, a 17th-century nobleman, that Charles I apparently hid in while fleeing from Oliver Cromwell's troops. This is a large and comfortable Wetherspoons pub conversion, decorated with wood panelling. There is a cellar bar, which can get noisy on occasions.
Across High Holborn once again, I turned down Red Lion Street, and into Sandland Street.
Three Cups, 22 Sandland Street, WC1R 4PZ
Young's Bitter, Special, Waggledance.
This is a comfortable single-bar pub that used to be frequented by thespians from a local theatre group. Sadly the pub has been sold for re-development along with the building next door. The Three Cups is probably the shortest “living” Finch's pub ever, as just after Finch's acquired the lease from Bass, Finch's themselves were bought by Young's. The pub has had a short reprieve, and will apparently be open for a couple more months. Enjoy it while you can.
Crossing over Red Lion Street I moved on to the next pub, on the corner of Eagle Street and Dane Street.
Overdraughts, Dane Street, WC1R 4BL
Rebellion Smugglers; Green King IPA.
This is a friendly corner local with a loyal following. A separate bar downstairs that is available for functions, and boasts a dartboard and pool table. There are normally three beers available, but on this occasion the third guest beer, Green King Abbot, was waiting to go on. This is a previous North London Branch "Pub of the Season".
Returning to Red Lion Street, I walked north towards Theobalds Road, and the penultimate pub.
Dolphin Tavern, 44 Red Lion Street, WC1R 4PF
Adnams Bitter; Fullers London Pride; Brakespear Bitter.
The Dolphin has been a pub since the eighteenth century, but this small street corner local had to be rebuilt in 1915 after being destroyed in a raid from a German Zeppelin. The clock from the original pub still stands by the bar, stopped at 10.40 pm, the time the bomb hit. This is a cosy pub with copper and pottery artefacts giving it a cottage feel.
As it was getting late I moved on to my last stop, across Theobalds Road, down Boswell Street, and across Queen Square to the corner with Cosmo Place.
Queen's Larder, 1 Queen Square, WC1 3AA
Marston's Pedegree; Fullers London Pride; Charrington Bass.
This tiny timber fronted pub takes its name from Queen Charlotte, wife of the 'Mad King' George III, who was receiving treatment (for his apparent insanity) at a doctors house in the square. The Queen assisted in the nursing of her husband and rented a small cellar beneath the pub, where she kept “special” foods for him. There is one small bar and an upstairs dining room, which overlooks the square.
Note that not all the pubs mentioned here are open on weekends.
Reproduced from the Full Pint, Issue 15.
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