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Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Updated: September 7, 2022
 By Margaret

When it comes to London pubs, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is often considered the cream of the crop!

With a rich history, authentic interiors and affordable food and drink, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a great example of truly historical London pubs.  

Tucked away on a side street, hidden away from the bustling pavements of Fleet Street, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is an absolute must-do for any visitor to London.  

Originally, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese was built in the 1530’s, although the original pub was lost in The Great Fire of London in 1666.

The current pub dates from 1667 – having been one of the first London buildings reconstructed after the Great Fire.


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Although this means that Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is not the oldest pub in London, it is still considered one of the most historical and atmospheric. 

Inside guests will find that the entire pub is panelled in wood – much of dating from before the 19th century.

The pub appears small from the outside but is sprawling, with numerous bars and rooms sprinkled throughout, which can be accessed from crooked doorways and mismatched steps.

There is very little natural light in the pub, and the lanterns don’t shine too bright, so there are plenty of dark corners to sit in and soak up the atmosphere.


Reviews of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

As you can see from the reviews below, this historic pub has a charm and character that shouldn't be passed up.

Click here for more reviews.

Associations

One of the reasons Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is so well known in London is because of the calibre of patron they have hosted throughout the years.

There are plaques both inside and outside the pub detailing historical events and characters associated with the pub – and here is a small list of some of the names we associate with this excellent pub:

  • Samuel Johnson
  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (It is believed that, although not named outright, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is the setting for a scene in a Sherlock story – The Red-Headed League)
  • Oliver Goldsmith
  • Mark Twain
  • Charles Dickens (mentioned in A Tale of Two Cities)
  • W. B. Yeats
  • Boris Pilnyak (Who later wrote a story titled Staryi Syr which translates to…Old Cheese!)
  • Samuel Pepys
  • President Theodore Roosevelt is also said to have dined here!

How to get to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is located in the City of London. If you take the Tube red line, take the Chancery Lane stop and walk east on Holborn and then south on Fetter Lane.

If you cut through east, you will end up at Wine Office Ct. that leads you to the center court entrance of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

If you take the Tube yellow/green line, exit at Blackfriars Station, and walk north on New Bridge Street and then west on Fleet street. This will lead you to the front entrance of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet street.

Free Tours By Foot – City Tour

Our City of London tour takes guests straight past the Cheshire Cheese, walking down the little alleyway the pub is nestled in.

At the finish of the City tour there is a bus that can take guests directly from our final stop to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.

So, consider making a visit to this great pub after you’ve pounded the pavements with us!


About The Author

Margaret

An American simply by accident of birth, Margaret moved to London over 16 years ago and hasn’t looked back since! With a keen interest in History – and a BA degree to match – Margaret prides herself on her knowledge of the amazing city she calls home and she's been guiding here now for nearly a decade. Social history is her real expertise, with sound understanding of the day-to-day lives of Londoners over the past centuries. Read More...
Updated: September 7th, 2022
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