One could not be wrong by saying that every pub has a story to tell. 

After surviving historic fires, war bombs and post-war developers, very few public houses in London can now pride themselves to be established centuries ago. How might we define which are the oldest beer joints in the capital: is it by the length of the licence, age of the building or rather name and location?

The candidates for the oldest boozer name

• Lamb & Flag: first mentioned in 1772 under the name of The Coopers Arms. 
• The Seven Stars: established in 1602 and named after 7 Provinces of the Netherlands to attract the Dutch sailors in the 17th century. 
• The Tipperary: claimed to be the oldest Irish pub in London since 1667 and the first one to serve Guinness in England. 
• Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese: rebuilt in 1667 after being damaged in the Great Fire of London. The original pub date goes back to 1538. 
• The Old Bell Tavern: built in 1670 on the earlier site of the Swan’s tavern that was the location of the Fleet Street’s workshop with first installed printing press. 
• Ye Olde Mitre: often said to be the hardest pub to find in London, the boozer can be reached through a narrow passageway off Hatton Gardens. First reports of establishment were made in 1546. 

If you are looking to have a great time and don’t mind a little exploration, organising a pub crawl around these pubs would definitely make your night. Follow our pub crawl map below and find out why Lamb & Flag establishment acquired the nickname of “The Bucket of Blood” or which boozers were the most visited and loved by Charles Dickens. 

[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1sx8LJEgJ81FHixmF2RD5ZsmW_uPd7SbR&hl=en&w=640&h=480]
Source: Ruta Tamulynaite

Plus… if you are looking for a hangover solution for the next day, watch the video below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DEANa_uxFw&w=560&h=315]

Words, picture gallery, map and video: Ruta Tamulynaite
Featured image and video footage: Pixabay