* the fascinating “Ship Tavern”-Holborn London WC2

Here’s another interesting London pub, with a fascinating backstory – that my London Shoes stumbled upon last week (not stumbled out of) – that I felt warranted its own blog article.

Down Kingsway, within the old narrow lanes and streets round the back of Holborn tube station – at the junction of Little Turnstile and Gate Street–London WC2 – stands the fascinating……“SHIP TAVERN”

It’s one of London’s oldest pubs, as records show there’s been a inn/tavern on the site since 1549.

The pub was built at a time when Holborn was a right dodgy slum area – with prostitution / gambling / drinking / thieving / violence – a lot of illegal/seedy stuff, being part and parcel of daily life.

A main tributary of the River Thames, the now subterranean River Fleet – used to flow through the Holborn district during those times – and there were shipyards, dockyards, moorings and other river related activities in operation throughout the area – and those activities meant that smuggling and piracy were rife throughout Holborn. Deckhands and dock labourers working along the River Fleet were also ‘regulars’ at the Ship Tavern.

It is believed that the Ship Tavern was initially opened as a ‘watering hole’ for farm labourers working in nearby ‘Lincolns Inn Fields’ – which in itself was a bit of a ‘tourist attraction’ site – as it was one of London’s main execution sites – and Londoner’s in those times, loved to roll-up to a ‘live’ execution event – and would no doubt leg it off to a nearby pub, like the Ship Tavern.

Following the ‘Reformation’ during Henry VIII’s reign – the Ship Tavern became a secret underground church for London’s Catholics during Edward VI time on the throne. Banned priests would conduct Mass from a disguised pulpit in the bar whilst ‘watchers’ were employed to keep an eye out for any Kings men that might be in the area – and if they were, the place would quickly transform itself into an everyday rowdy pub.

The Ship Tavern also has historic links to Freemasonry – with it being a consecrated prominent Masonic Lodge as far as 1736.

I previously had no knowledge of this establishment, and so it was a bit of an unexpected surprise to stumble upon it, whilst ambling around the streets behind Holborn tube station – and having popped inside to check the place out, I felt the pub and its backstory was worthy of a London Shoes blog in its own right.

So – having had a gander inside the Ship Tavern, it was only fitting to have a couple of ‘cheeky’ Guinnesses there, before heading back home – and very enjoyable they were too.

Well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in the Holborn area.

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See below the entire gallery of photos taken to support this blog article

Located halfway down ‘Kingsway’ is Holborn tube station – the nearest station to The Ship Tavern pub in Gate Street.

Holborn station from the other side of Kingsway – the nearest tube station to ‘The Ship Tavern’

Within the old narrow lanes and streets round the back of Holborn tube station – at the junction of Little Turnstile and Gate Street-London WC2 – stands the fascinating “The Ship Tavern”

It’s one of London’s oldest pubs, as records show there’s been a inn/tavern on the site since 1549.

A storyboard highlighting the pub’s history – on display at the main entrance to The Ship Tavern

Outside the Ship Tavern – located on the corner of Little Turnstile and Gate Street-London WC2

One of the Ship Tavern’s decorative windows

Another of the Ship Tavern’s decorative windows

A view of the Ship Tavern – from the narrow Little Turnstile alley running alongside the pub

It is believed that the Ship Tavern was initially opened as a ‘watering hole’ for farm labourers working in nearby ‘Lincolns Inn Fields’ – which in itself was a bit of a ‘tourist attraction’ site – as it was one of London’s main execution sites

Inside the Ship Tavern

Inside the Ship Tavern

A ‘cheeky’ Guinness – just begging to be necked down – inside the Ship Tavern

The main bar of the Ship Tavern. The Ship Tavern became a secret underground church for London’s Catholics during Edward VI time on the throne. Banned priests would conduct Mass from a disguised pulpit situated in the bar.

Another delicious looking Guinness – waiting to be consumed in the Ship Tavern

Me – neckin’ down a refreshing Guinness in the Ship Tavern…..cheers/sláinte