Sunday, November 28, 2010

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Last weekend we had a lunchtime drink at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street. We had been there only once before, and felt it was calling us back. I don't know if Cheshire is technically London's oldest pub, but it feels like it. It was rebuilt in 1667, after going down like a sissy in the Great Fire (which, as anyone from medieval London would tell you, was started by the filthy papists).

The downstairs part—where we sat—dates back to the 12th century. Back then it was a cellar, owned and run by an order of monkeys. Or maybe it was monks. No, actually, I'm pretty sure it was monkeys.

The doorways are only as tall as people were back then. Shelley would have been considered Amazonian in stature.

1 comment:

Sweet Olive Press | Helen said...

Filthy papists.
I'd just like to walk around saying that at random.