The Complete Guide to London’s Oldest Pubs

If you want to know where to sup in traditional style in the UK capital, this guide should be right up your street! Central to London life for centuries, seeing the city’s old pubs is essential during any visit. Walk into the right London pub and you can connect with history, as well as local people.

Enjoying good pub grub, plus top quality drinks from Britain and abroad, can also be part of the experience. But while you’ll find decent boozers (as the locals call them) all over the place, here we’re focusing on only the oldest London pubs. 

From the City of London area to Covent Garden, Blackfriars, Hampstead, Limehouse, Rotherhithe and many more, you can find historic places to eat, drink, and meet the locals all over the metropolis. 

Read on to discover 23 of the oldest pubs in London. Followed by seven of the best walking tours you can take, should you wish to be led by a local expert. 

23 of London’s Oldest Pubs

The Blackfriar

📍 Blackfriars

This historic pub in the London district of the same name occupies a Grade II listed building. It’s on a corner, and has a distinctive green and gold frontage. Look up, too, to spot the guardian Blackfriar statue and even a gold clock above that. 

A monastery once stood here, and inside you can see depictions of 13th century monks going about their daily business. Expect decent pub food and drinks in this character-packed place. 

The Cittie of Yorke

📍 Holborn

The Cittie of Yorke in Holborn stands where there’s been a pub for nearly six centuries, though the current building was constructed in 1920 as a replica. 

This High Holborn hostelry is huge, so there’s plenty of space if you want to party. Prices are affordable, too, particularly for central London. 

The Cockpit

📍 St Paul’s

Open since 1875, this isn’t the oldest pub in London, but offers an authentic slice of pub life. It’s by all accounts a proper pub, with the owners offering a warm welcome to locals and visitors alike. 

Shakespeare himself is also said to have once owned a house on this very site, and the pub was formerly known as The Cock Pit. 

The George

📍 London Bridge

The last galleried London pub still standing dates back to 1583, and is steeped in history. Shakespeare was a regular, and his plays were performed in the outdoor courtyard here. 

This historic London pub is now operated by the National Trust, and offers views of The Shard from the hallowed courtyard. 

The Grapes

📍 Limehouse

Many London pubs seem to have a Charles Dickens connection, including this one, which was used to set the scene at the start of Our Mutual Friend. 

Actor Sir Ian McKellen owns The Grapes, and sometimes even takes charge of the pub quiz!

The Guinea

📍 Mayfair

This Mayfair pub is now home to an upmarket grill restaurant, specialising in steaks. Yummy pies are also available. 

There’s been a pub here since 1423, though the current building is from 1720. 

Hoop and Grapes

📍 Aldgate

Surviving the Great Fire of London unscathed is one reason why the Hoop and Grapes lays claim to historic significance. It’s also tilted gradually over the years, and apparently now leans over by almost 20 inches.

Somehow, the flames of 1666 are said to have stopped only yards from the front door of this old Aldgate pub. 

The Jamaica Wine House

📍 City of London

Part pub and part wine bar (in the basement), the Jamaica Wine House is many things to many people. 

It became one of the city’s first coffee houses, after importing and serving what is now Europe’s favourite hot drink. Though it must be said that Brits themselves do tend to prefer tea!

Lamb and Flag

📍 Covent Garden

The Lamb and Flag was once, notoriously, known as the Bucket of Blood, due to the fist fights which once regularly occurred in the alley outside. 

John Dryden, a poet, nearly lost his life here too, during the 17th century. Though the small pub wasn’t built until around a hundred years later, in 1772. 

The Mayflower

📍 Rotherhithe

The Mayflower was moored up here in Rotherhithe before setting sail for the New World, giving the pub its name. Historians can even examine the book of Mayflower descendants inside.

The Mayflower in Rotherhithe has been serving London locals since the mid 16th century. 

The Prospect of Whitby

📍 Wapping

Going back to 1520, The Prospect of Whitby recalls a pretty grim past, with a noose and gallows still displayed outside. 

Thankfully, the pleasing views of the Thames from here are a little more uplifting for modern-day visitors. 

The Red Lion

📍 Westminster

The Red Lion offers three floors of drinking and dining space in a Grade II listed building. 

It also has an impressive political pedigree, having served all British Prime Ministers up to and including Ted Heath. He led the land during the 1970s. 

The Salisbury

📍 Covent Garden

This pub on St Martin’s Lane in the Covent Garden area is known for its opulent interior. This incorporates late Victorian and art nouveau elements, including carved woodwork and etched glass. 

“SS”can be seen here and there, which references the fact that it was once known as the Salisbury Stores. This 18th century, Grade II listed pub also features gold chandeliers and leather seating, and has even starred in several movies.

The Seven Stars

📍 Holborn

This historic pub in Holborn plays host to local lawyers, who gather for after-work drinks after wrapping up for the day at the Royal Courts of Justice close by. 

Dating from 1602, the pub was here around 280 years before the law courts were even built. 

The Ship

📍 Soho

This pub in Soho is known for musical history. The iconic Marquee Club was next door, and many big name bands played there. After the show, they would of course repair to the nearest pub. 

Which is why The Ship’s Soho walls have hosted the likes of The Clash, The Cure, David Bowie, Joy Division, The Police, The Sex Pistols, U2, and even the Rolling Stones.

The Ship and Shovell

📍 Charing Cross

This Charing Cross pub is unusual in that it comprises two separate buildings. They’re connected by an underground cellar. Though this is the very centre of London, the pub is relatively peaceful, due to its secluded position beneath the station arches. 

Expect wooden panelling and booth seating in the Victorian interior. The red paintwork outside, meanwhile, ensures it’s easy to spot. 

The Spaniard’s Inn

📍 Hampstead

Poets Byron and Keats, novelist Dickens, and even highwayman Dick Turpin have all apparently drank in this Hampstead pub, at some point in the past.

Today, The Spaniard’s Inn serves good seasonal food, plus a great selection of craft beers. 

The Viaduct Tavern

📍 St Paul’s

The Viaduct Tavern near St Paul’s Cathedral is a traditional gin palace, and still serves a large range of gins to suit every palate.  

The Grade II listed building dates back to 1875, and Newgate Prison once occupied the same site. 

Ye Olde Bell Tavern

📍 Fleet Street

Several of London’s most historic pubs begin their names with “Ye Olde,” including the Bell Tavern on Fleet Street. 

It’s famous for being built by, and for, Sir Christopher Wren’s stone masons, while they were reconstructing fire-ravaged St Bride’s Church. 

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

📍 Fleet Street

Also on Fleet Street and beginning its name with “Ye Olde” is what’s arguably London’s best named pub. A charming sign outside announces that the pub was rebuilt in 1667, following the Great Fire of London. 

There’s been an ale house here since more than a century before that, though. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese does feel like a really old pub, complete with wooden seating and an austere Victorian vibe. 

Ye Olde Cock Tavern

📍 Fleet Street

What is it with Fleet Street and the name “Ye Olde?” The Cock Tavern joins the Cheshire Cheese and Bell as one of the thoroughfare’s most ancient pubs. It’s been at 22 Fleet Street since 1887, but actually dates back to 1549. 

Like some other historic London pubs, it was once a gin palace. In its time, it’s also said to have served Charles Dickens, Samuel Pepys, and Dr Johnson.

Ye Olde Mitre

📍 Holborn

Dating back to 1546, Ye Olde Mitre wasn’t even part of London in the past. This was due to some land issue that incongruously meant it belonged to Cambridgeshire instead. 

Queen Elizabeth I is said to have danced around a cherry tree outside this Holborn pub, and who are we to argue with this fun historical fact?

Old Bank of England

📍 City of London

The Bank of England pub on Fleet Street has a history that dates back to the 1800s when it originally served as a bank. Its Victorian architecture, including the original vault door, still stands today, offering a glimpse into the past. The pub’s name and design pay homage to its financial origins, creating a unique atmosphere for visitors.

It’s said that Charles Dickens himself once frequented this establishment, adding a layer of literary history to its appeal. Whether you’re stopping in for a drink or just to admire the historic surroundings, the Bank of England pub is a spot where London’s rich past comes to life.

7 of the Best London Pub Tours

Take Walks Tour of London’s Oldest Pubs

If you want to book the best traditional London pubs tour, secure your spot on this one. Run by respected local operator Take Walks, an expert guide will show you the top old London pubs to see.

The walk takes place in the City of London, home to some of the capital’s most historic ale houses. Some serve great pub food, while others are better known for hosting literary legends and other historic figures. 

You’ll visit four pubs in all, and four drinks and food tastings are included. Talk to bar staff to hear tales from the past and present, and play a 15th century game popular with London pub-goers for hundreds of years. 

Throughout the tour you’ll learn about London pubs’ links with Queen Elizabeth, Sweeney Todd, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Great Fire of London in 1666. 

The group size is capped at 12, for a more personal experience. During the three-and-a-half hour tour, you can sample a pork pie, devilled whitebait, a sausage roll, and a Scotch egg, all washed down with ale, cider, and stout. 

Click here to book this London pubs tour with Take Walks

6 Other Historic London Pubs Tours

• Oldest London pubs walking tour | 4 hours | Starts at Embankment
• Traditional food London pubs tour | 3.5 hours | Starts in Holborn
• Historic central London pubs tour | 3.5 hours | Starts at St Paul’s
• Royal historic London pubs tour | 2.5 hours | Starts at Piccadilly Circus
• Musical historic London pubs tour | 2.5 hours | Starts at Piccadilly Circus
• 2-hour historic London pubs tour | 2 hours | Starts at Chancery Lane

Which Traditional London Pubs Will You Visit?

With 22 pubs and seven tours to choose from, how will you encounter the oldest pubs in London? 

Whether you drop into the Lamb and Flag or The Salisbury for a quick drink while in Covent Garden, spend all day visiting the venues in and around the City of London, or head out to a pub in Hampstead for dinner, spending time in London pubs is an unmissable part of any UK trip!