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CAMRA - North Hampshire Branch This Page:           North Hampshire CAMRA Branch: City Pub Crawl Published: August 2008   Branch City Pub Crawl The Branch Tour of the City of London ... written by Ken Brewster - North Hampshire CAMRA   Note: Click on any picture to see a larger version and use your browser's BACK button to return to this page.   In July 2008, the Branch went on one of its London pub crawls. This time to the City, doing a circular tour within EC3. This record from the trip provides an opportunity for others to try a few pubs all within easy distance of each other, or pick and choose pubs to fit in with a look around the historic buildings, and some modern ones, in the financial centre of the UK. The tour is only relevant to a mid-week visit, and then only until mid-evening, as most of the City pubs close at weekends. On the tour we did not manage to get to all the pubs, so the participants have an excuse for a return trip.   A good map, and an exploring mind, is important if you are going to find the historic pubs hidden in the City alleys.   A convenient route from Waterloo is by the Drain, the Waterloo and City Line. It goes to Bank where you can follow the Lombard Street directions to get out. Following Lombard Street and turning left into Gracechurch Street finds a good starting place, the Crosse Keys, 7/9 Gracechurch Street, opposite Leadenhall Market. A huge banking hall from the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank days, it is now an impressive Wetherspoon's with a very large range of microbrewery beers.   Crosse Keys   Across the road and along the road to the right is the Swan, Ship Tavern Passage, 78 Gracechurch Street, Leadenhall Market. A small old traditional City pub selling the Fuller's range, it has a spiral stairway leading to a larger upstairs bar.   Swan   Branch participants at the Swan   Heading from here into the centre of the historic market, now getting taken over by the tourist shops and stalls, we find the historic Lamb Tavern, 10-12 Leadenhall Market. A grade II listed Victorian tavern, the ground floor behind the frosted glass frontage is a standing bar with a mezzanine floor above. Seating is available outside and in the dive bar. It provides the Young's range of beers.   Lamb Tavern   Moving past the pub and outside the market, we immediately find a great contrast, the impressive modern structure of Lloyds Building, and then around the corner a view of the Gherkin looking down on the area, before heading down Fenchurch Avenue and Fen Court to Fenchurch Street to the Elephant, 119 Fenchurch Street. It is a Young's City-style pub hidden in a modern office block where the basement bar is preferred.   Elephant   1799 waterpump in Lombard Street - Lloyds in background   Following down Fenchurch Street we see the East India Arms, 67 Fenchurch Street, an old brick pub that has somehow survived the office block take over of the area. It is a traditional, but now one-roomed, pub with the Shepherd Neame range.   East India Arms   Continuing along Fenchurch Street, just past Aldgate Tube Station, we come to the Hoop and Grapes, 47 Aldgate High Street, one of the City's oldest pubs having been there since the late 1500s. It is quite spacious inside with woody décor and the bar areas separated by partitions. There is a good range of beers and on Thursdays at 8pm it has Beer Tastings of the guest beers.   Hoop and Grapes   Retreating a short distance, and through the bus station, gets us to the Minories where the large building opposite is the Chamberlain, 130-135 Minories, a Fuller's Ale & Pie house. A well furnished large bar, it provides a modern expression of the traditional pub, suitable for tourists.   Chamberlain   But across the road is the Peacock, 41 Minories, in Ibex House, a 1937 Art Deco building with curved walls. Inside it is an ordinary pub but with a nice atmosphere and usually beers fairly rare for London. On the Branch trip there was Black Sheep Best Bitter and Titanic Steerage.   Peacock   Down the side road to Mansell Street and turn right to the end, where at Prescot Street, we find Goodman's Field, Mansell Street. This is a rather functional looking Wetherspoon's that normally has 2 interesting guests. We were unlucky on our visit.   Goodman's Field   Following the continuation of Prescot Street, Goodman's Yard, we cross Minories and go down Crosswall Street to get under the railway bridge to the Crutched Friar, 39-41 Crutched Friars. On the tourist trail, handy for the Tower of London, it is a modern interpretation of the Olde Inne, but it does have Deuchar's, Landlord and a guest.   Crutched Friar   Double back a short way and turn right, towards the Thames, to Trinity Square where, with views of the Tower of London, is Liberty Bounds, Trinity Square. Formerly a NatWest bank, it is now a Wetherspoon's, well furnished and on an interesting set of levels, it usually has three interesting microbrewery beers.   Liberty Bounds   Tower of London (from near Liberty Bounds)   A short walk along Byward Street takes us to Hung Drawn and Quartered, 26-27 Great Tower Street, a brick built building, once part of the historic Christ's Hospital School and grade II listed, it is now a Fuller's pub.   Hung Drawn and Quartered   Following Great Tower Street, which becomes Eastcheap, on the right just before Monument Underground Station, is a narrow lane leading to the Ship, 11 Talbot Court. It is an olde City alley pub with a good range of beers, typically Landlord, Tribute, Elgoods Black Cat, Youngs, Deuchars and Pride.   Ship   A diversion is possible here. Crossing Eastcheap and going a short distance through the narrow streets to Monument Street you find the Walrus and the Carpenter, 45 Monument Street. It is an olde ornate Nicholson pub with some interesting beers such as Landlord and Butcombe.   Walrus and the Carpenter   Doubling back to Eastcheap and continuing to Gracechurch Street, a search round the backstreets, between Gracechurch Street and King William Street, and very close to their junction, will find the Red Lion, 9 Lombard Court, off Clements Lane. Another olde City pub it normally has Deuchars, Pride and a microbrewery beer.   Red Lion   Follow Clements Lane to Lombard Street, and across the road there is George Yard. Going along here and into the alleys brings you to the well hidden Jamaica Wine House, St. Michaels Alley, which is off Cornhill. It is a traditional City pub, built in 1885 with red sandstone facing, and has internal screened areas. Beers are typically from the Wells/Youngs range.   Jamaica Wine House   Branch participants at the Jamaica Wine House   Follow the alley diagonally opposite, Bengal Court, for a few yards to the pub sign at a smaller alley where there is Simpson's Tavern, Ball Court, 38 Cornhill. But beware, it is only open lunchtimes, 11:30 to 3:30. It is an olde London Chophouse and the building has been occupied since 1757. It is in 1916 that women were first admitted to the restaurant. On the ground floor is the Gentlemen's Bar.   Simpson's Tavern   Further down the alley is Cornhill where on turning right there is the Counting House, 50 Cornhill, near Gracechurch Street. It was built in 1893 as Prescott's Bank and has a magnificent ornate interior with marble faced walls. It is now a Fuller's pub, gaining an English Heritage award in 1998.   Counting House   Returning along Cornhill and turning down Finch Lane we get to the Cock and Woolpack, 6 Finch Lane, between Cornhill and Threadneedle Street. It is another late 19th century inn, with plenty of wood and mirrors and serving Shepherd Neame.   Cock and Woolpack   Continue down the lane to Threadneedle Street and turn left for the Bank station subway where you follow the signs to Exit 9 for the Green Man, 1 Poultry. Among the underground shops is this Wetherspoon's with a reasonable range of interesting beers.   Green Man   Bank station provides an easy trip back to Waterloo on the Waterloo and City line as long as you are there before 21:30. There are also tube trains from the station.   If you are interested in future events with North Hampshire CAMRA, subscribe to our mailing list to be kept informed.   << BACK TO ARTICLES ^ BACK TO TOP ^ count: 325

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