Ye Olde Mitre, Holborn

A Palace Hidden in Plain Sight

Ye Olde Mitre occupies a corner of London that was once part of Cambridgeshire. In the 13th century, the Bishops of Ely constructed a magnificent palace on this site, deemed so beautiful that they declared it technically part of their Cambridge diocese rather than London proper. This quirk of medieval administration persisted for centuries—until the 1960s, the pub's licensing laws were administered by Cambridgeshire rather than London authorities. The palace grounds flourished with vineyards, fruit trees, and strawberries, a verdant sanctuary amid the medieval city's chaos.

Royal Favour and the Cherry Tree Legend

In the late 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I granted portions of the bishop's land to her favoured courtier, Sir Christopher Hatton, a tall, graceful dancer and commoner who had caught the monarch's eye. The story persists that Elizabeth danced around a cherry tree in the garden with Hatton—though it was likely used as a maypole, a popular festive tradition of the era. The tree's stump still stands inside the pub's front bar, a tangible link to that Elizabethan moment. Hatton's name lives on in nearby Hatton Garden, the famous jewellery quarter that grew from his former estate.

From Palace to Sanctuary to Pub

The original tavern was built in 1546 to serve the bishop's household servants and staff. When the Crown acquired the land in 1772 and demolished the palace, the pub was rebuilt in 1773 on the same foundations, incorporating the cherry tree into its structure. The interior was substantially remodelled in the early 1930s with fashionable Tudor-style panelling, though the Grade II listing preserves its character. The pub's unique legal status—technically still outside City of London jurisdiction—once made it a refuge for criminals fleeing metropolitan police, a detail immortalised in Guy Ritchie's film Snatch.

A Labyrinth of Intimate Spaces

Accessing Ye Olde Mitre requires navigating a near-invisible passage between Hatton Garden and Ely Place, a test of determination rewarded by discovery. The interior divides into four distinct drinking areas: two cosy ground-floor lounges flanking a central bar, a small snug called 'Ye Closet' accommodating up to ten guests, and the upstairs Bishop's Room, refitted in the 1990s and available for private hire. The walls display Elizabethan memorabilia, tankards, and cups suspended from the ceiling, creating an atmosphere of accumulated history. The gents' toilet is accessed only from outside—a rare quirk in London pubs.

Neighbourhood Steeped in Medieval Tragedy

Ye Olde Mitre stands near Smithfield, where William Wallace was hung, drawn and quartered, and where numerous martyrs and traitors met their end. The area witnessed some of London's darkest medieval moments. Nearby Ely Place retains Saint Etheldreda's Church, one of only two surviving London buildings from Edward I's reign, a silent companion to the pub's enduring presence.

A Fuller's House for Weekday Pilgrims

Operated by Fuller's brewery, the pub serves regular ales and guest beers to a loyal clientele of office workers and history enthusiasts. Food consists mainly of traditional pub fare—toasted sandwiches, pork pies, and notably, sumptuous scotch eggs, a house speciality. The building's modest size precludes a full kitchen, yet the quality of offerings reflects its standing as a CAMRA National Inventory pub and multiple award-winner, including London Pub of the Year in 2013 and 2019.