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London Historic Pub Walk
Discover 6 historic pubs in the Cannon Street area of London with our circular walking route.
Historic England is not endorsing these venues but merely providing information on the building and its architecture, which the reader (and drinker) might find interesting.
The Olde Wine Shades
Starting at Monument Underground station, our first stop takes you to The Olde Wine Shades, one of the oldest public houses in London.
Just a stone's throw away from Cannon Street Station, the building was built in 1663 as a merchant's house.
It is also said that the building was a survivor of the Great Fire of London in 1666, which started in nearby Pudding Lane.
The Bell
The Bell at 29 Bush Lane is another Grade II listed building and a spectacular example of a small historic public house in the City of London.
The pub's walls feature a list of all of the owners, landlords, and landlady's since 1678. It is another believed survivor of The Great Fire of London but was mostly remodelled in the 19th century.
The Sugarloaf
Our third stop, at 65 Cannon Street, takes its name from a time when the area was filled with sugar refineries transforming raw sugar into cone-shaped sugar loaves.
The refineries were demolished in 1819 to make way for the building of Southwark Bridge. Dating back to the early 19th century, this Grade II-listed building is 3 storeys high. Note the 3x3 sash windows on the second and attic floors.
24 to 26 Watling Street
A stone's throw from St Paul's Cathedral, at 24 to 26 Watling Street, is this mid-19th century Grade II listed building. It features a front facade crafted from stone and cast iron.
Note the intricately carved doorways. Inside, a galleried interior showcases cast iron columns and leads to a beer garden.
28 to 30 Cornhill
Head north-east past Bank Underground station and onto Cornhill, where you'll find the former Scottish Widows' Fund and Life Assurance Society building.
Built between 1934 to 1935 and made of Portland stone, it features jazz-deco ironwork and decorative friezes.
Look out for the plaques on the side of the building on Change Alley (once known as Exchange Alley, relating to the Royal Exchange nearby) revealing its past life.
The Jamaica Wine House
Our final stop is this Grade II listed red brick and red stone building built in the late 19th century, tucked away in St Michael's Alley and also known as the Jam Pot.
It's the site of London's first coffee house and was visited by the celebrated diarist Samuel Pepys. Note the large iron lantern featuring the pub's name, as well as the plaque on the wall dedicated to the coffee house owner, Pasqua Rosee.
