Ep 06 Mitres, Maypoles & Monarchy at Ye Olde Mitre & Holy Tavern

We cover two great pubs in the Clerkenwell area.  One has roots back to Tutor times and the other one looks as if it could have

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Google map with pubs covered in previous episodes pinned, courtesy of Andy Meddick:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/4/edit?mid=12c-WKa3XiT1qTLydK8psZocUR7Y_Wes&usp=sharing

Or TinyURL: https://tinyurl.com/bduca5dv

The following resources are quoted frequently in these episodes:

• Ted Bruning  -- Historic Pubs of London (ISBN 978-0658005022) and London By Pub (ISBN 978-0658005022)
• Wikipedia
• https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com/  by Ann Laffeaty

Additionally, the  following resource(s) were quoted in this episode:

• alondoninheritance.com

Intro music:

Vivaldi - Spring Allegro byJohn Harrison with the Wichita State University Chamber

Photo: Michael Flynn

Website: https://historiclondonpubcast.com/

E-mail: hosteric@historiclondonpubcast.com

Transcript

Welcome to this episode of The Historic London Pubcast. I'm Eric Blair, and I'd like to take you on a journey through the rich history of London's iconic pubs. My goal is to share with you my passion for the great old pubs of London. I want to give you some facts to help you appreciate the history of these hallowed establishments mixed in with some fun stories that make it all go down as smooth as a well poured pint. 

Today we will visit a pub that is almost always on everyone's Top Ten List of London Drinkers, if not in the Top Five. It is Ye Olde Mitre in the Holborn area, specifically at Ely Court. Like Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, the first word in the name is spelled y e. We discussed how that came about for certain ancient locations in the Pubcast on Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.So, I won't repeat it here. 

Before we focus on the pub, I would like to talk about the history of the area. Three websites help us out on that:

·       alondoninheritance.com.

·       https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com.

·        https://www.wikipedia.org. 

The whole block of land at this location in the 1200s was owned by John de Kirby, Bishop of Ely. When he died in 1290, he left the land and nine cottages to his successor, Bishops of Ely. It was normal in the medieval period for important figures in the church to maintain a residence in London. This was so that they had somewhere to stay when visiting the city where they could entertain. Although they might be representing places from far across the country, they could still have a presence close to the corner of royal and political power. 

The Bishops originally used a house in the City of London, but problems there gave John to Kirby the idea of bequeathing his land. The problems were subsequently resolved, but the Bishops could not resist building a new London home in this block of semi-rural land that had just fallen into their lap. Probably the first building established other than the Bishop's house is the chapel to Saint Etheldreda. 

The house and the grounds were continuously added to in the 1300s. By the end of the century, it was referred to as Ely Palace and it started to attract famous visitors. John of Gaunt lived there not just for a night or two, though he was the fourth son of King Edward the Third of England and the father of King Henry the Fourth.

Because of Gaunt’s royal origin, advantageous marriages, and some generous land grants, he was one of the richest men of his era, and was an influential figure during the reigns of both his father and his nephew, Richard the Second. But, being rich and well-connected may not have had all the advantages one would think. During the Peasants Revolt in 1381, his cushy digs, The Savoy Palace were singled out for attack, and John found himself homeless. He moved into the Ely Palace in 1381 and stayed there until his death in 1399. Talk about a guest that came and wouldn't leave! 

Other visitors to Ely house included Henry the Seventh, who attended a banquet there in 1495, and Henry the Eighth with Catherine of Aragon, who both attended the final day of a five-day event said to be an. ‘Entertainment’ in November of 1531. Records attest to the large amount of food consumed during this event, so evidently no one came away hungry. It became regarded as one of London's greatest palaces, so much so that it was mentioned by Shakespeare in two plays. Richard the Second and Richard the Third. 

https://londonspubswherehistoryreallyhappened.wordpress.com has a well-written and concise description of the next phase for the Ely Palace,

“The palace had been occupied by Bishops for centuries. Then a handsome nobody caught the eye of the Queen and history happened. Christopher Hatton was a commoner, but he was tall, well proportioned, and a good dancer. Queen Elizabeth the First liked him so much that she appointed him Yeoman of the Guard and Lord Chancellor, and later had him knighted, and since he needed a London base, she asked the Bishops to budge over a bit and lease him some land, threatening to defrock them if they didn't. So Hatton moved in and began swanning around the Palace and enjoying the glorious garden. And although the palace was demolished in 1772, the area has become known as Hatton Garden ever since.”

We'll get a few more facts from Wikipedia about good old Chris Hatton. 

“It was in June 1578 that the Queen's grant of the Bishop's House, not surprisingly, gave rise to vigorous protests from the Bishop. But the Queen was unfazed. At one point she put a bishop in his place with the terse declaration, “Proud Prelate, I made you, and I can unmake you.””

It's not clear if she used that line in this specific row, but remember, she was Henry the Eighth’s daughter, so she was not a lady to be trifled with! QE1’s favoritism prompted rumors that Hatton was her lover – a charge specifically made in 1584 by Mary, Queen of Scots. Perhaps Mary shouldn't have done that. Three years later, in 1587, Hatton was one of the Commissioners who found Mary guilty of treason, and that conviction was the reason for her execution.

One last bit of history before we moved to the pub, I mentioned Saint Etheldreda’s Church being one of the first two buildings erected at Ely Palace. It and the pub are the only two surviving buildings now from the original palace days, and the church far out dates to the pub. The church was named for the Anglo-Saxon saint who founded the monastery at Ely in 1673.

The church has both a chapel and a crypt, and lots of history. The church miraculously survived the Great Fire of London, but was not so lucky during the Blitz. A bomb tore a hole in the roof and destroyed the Victorian stained-glass windows. Repairs took seven years to complete. I was fortunate to show up one morning and get a guided tour by a very knowledgeable volunteer.

If you travel to the area looking to get in at the opening of the pub (something I would advise doing), start out an hour or so early and visit the church. It is worth the effort. 

Okay, onto the pub now. The original Mitre pub was built in 1546 to cater to the servants who worked at the Bishop of Ely’s Palace.

It did have some functional detours along the way, acting at different times as a prison and a hospital. When it was later rebuilt in 1772, it seemed to have been constructed around a cherry tree that now supports the front of the building. Many stories around Ye Olde Mitrerefer to Elizabeth the First dancing around the cherry tree in the garden with Christopher Hatton.

Today the street named Ely Place is a private street. Its position as a unique historical remnant is such that it now is managed by its own Commissioners. The barrier gate restricts vehicular access, but well-behaved pedestrians are welcome. Walking a half walk down the street on your left, you see a narrow alleyway. Brick walls loom on either side. Their age evident in the weathered texture and occasional patchwork of paint.

The cobblestones beneath your feet are uneven, worn smooth by countless footsteps over the years. The air is close, holding the faint scent of woodsmoke and something vaguely floral, perhaps from window boxes tucked out of sight. Just as you begin to wonder where this hidden passage might lead, the alleyway opens a touch. Sunlight spills through the gap, illuminating the sight that makes you pause. Nestled against the wall on your left is a pub unlike any other you've seen. The sign above the doorway is a masterpiece of weathered wood and wrought iron. The paint, once vibrant red judging by the faded patches, now holds a rich age patina. Old black lettering proclaims Ye Olde Mitrein a whimsical font that curls and dips. Below the lettering, a gold Mitre (that's a bishop's hat) hangs suspended from a wrought iron bracket. It gleams faintly in the afternoon sun, hinting at the bygone era of grandeur.

Two lamps flank the doorway. Their brass tarnished, but polished to a warm glow. A small window beside the door allows a peek into the pub's interior, promising a haven of warmth and good cheer. You can't resist the allure. With a push on the heavy door, you step inside. The scent of aged hops and malt in the air and, depending on the season, mingles with the warmth of the crackling fire. The walls are lined with dark, polished oak panels that seem to absorb any lingering daylight. The pub has two entrances served by the bar in the center. To the left of the first entrance is a prized snug that usually can only be had if you get in there at opening time. The fireplace is part of the larger room, bordered by the snug and the bar. The area is also where you can access the stairs to the second floor - The Bishop's Room that is available for dining and private functions. When not reserved, it's usually open and is worth a trip upstairs. The second saloon is only accessible by going outside through the second entrance.

In the corner you will see the famous tree trunk in a protected glass enclosure. You know, that's the one that said that it had been used by Queen Elizabeth as a maypole. And if true, that would have been 450 years ago. The place really does make you feel like a patron of old. I regard it as one of my Top Five pubs in London.

It is not open on weekends. Repeating myself - arriving at opening time to avoid the crowds is well worth the effort. Also being a Fuller’s pub, their websitehas a gallery page that gives you a 360-degree photo view. If you have never been there, take a look at these. I'll bet the first round you will be convinced to put this one on your agenda.

Next, let's visit what is now known as The Holy Tavern. Once again, we have to start with some history. Most folks have heard of the Knights Templar, the military order of more or less warrior monks that were active during the Crusades. There were other similar orders. One being the Knights Hospitaler. Their full name is the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem.

Lots of details are in their history, but for our purposes we need to know that their headquarters was around here, and one last tangible remain of their presence is Saint John's Gate, just off Clerkenwell Road - about a ten-minute walk from Ye Olde Mitre. Here you will find an impressive stone gate. On one side is a museum dedicated to the history of the Order of Saint John.

The headquarters was probably called the Priory of Saint John of Jerusalem. Part of the gatehouse later became a popular coffee house, and, given its location, was appropriately called The Jerusalem Tavern. It was closed around 1754, but reopened one block over on Britton Street. Bruning’s Historic Pubs of London tells us the fate of that establishment,

“The Jerusalem Tavern on Britton was a place of high reputation, attracting Doctor Samuel Johnson and his circle, and also providing a meeting place for societies and trade associations of differing varieties. It took its place in the area's tradition as a center for working class organizations of all descriptions. However, in 1878 the tavern was pulled down to make way for what is now Clerkenwell Road. Fast forward to the late 20th century, starting with a townhouse on Britton Street built in 1720 that had been turned into a watchmaking shop, Saint Peter's Brewery turned it into its first pub in London.”

Bruning ends with this paragraph, 

“The Brewery and its award-winning architect were determined to recreate an early 18th century coffee house in the premises, and have gone to town with the bare boards, dark oak and little rooms. Whether they have succeeded or not is for you to decide, but you'll never have guessed. It was only a pub since 1996.”

Ted wrote those words in the late 1990s, but there is more of the story to tell. Like all the pubs, The Jerusalem was closed during the COVID lockdown. It reopened. But in February 2022, Saint Peter's Brewery decided not to renew the pub's lease. It closed for a few weeks but reopened under its new name, The Holy Tavern.I have not been there since the reopening, but friends have told me that all is the same with maybe just some different beer brands behind the bar.

The pub has a boxed front that has roots going back to the watch shop days. Walking through that and up to the bar, you'll see that a snug exists off the far side of the bar. After checking out the beer handles behind the bar (after all, first things first), your attention is likely drawn to your left where a wooden staircase rises. It leads to. Well, let me read you this description, 

“Imagine this. You turn away from the bar, hopefully with drink in hand, and you’re making your way up the stairs. The worn wooden treads creaking beneath your feet. As you reach the landing, a curious sight greets you. Perched right there, nestled against the railing, is a small circular table made of dark, polished wood. It's surprisingly sturdy, anchored securely to the wall with a wrought iron bracket. Two mismatched chairs flank the table. One, a high back captain's chair with worn red velvet upholstery seems to be vying for attention with its neighbor - a simple wooden stool with a single chipped green paint splat on its seat. A well-worn leather satchel hangs from the hook, hammered onto the wall besides the captain's chair, hinting that this little perch might be a regular’s haven. Looking down from this elevated spot, you have a unique vantage point. You can see the entire main room of the pub spread out before you. The murmur of conversation and the clinking of glasses rising up. However, perched halfway up the stairs, you’re also removed from the thick of the action, offering a sense of privacy and a chance to observe the comings and goings of the patrons below. It's a quirky spot, this table - perfect for the pub's unique character. Whether it's a local who enjoys a drink with a bit of people watching, a couple seeking a semi-private corner for conversation, or just someone who fancies a slightly unorthodox seating arrangement. The elevated table offers a one-of-a-kind experience in the Holy Tavern.” 

I've looked on Google images, and none of the many photos truly capture this unique feature, so you will just have to go see it yourself.

The Trailer to this Pubcast mentions my AALP criteria for historic pubs. It's only a minute and a half, so check it out if you get a chance. The AALP stands for Architecture, Antiquity, Legend and People. 

The first, A for Architecture, gives newer pubs who have an outstanding design but haven't been around long enough to fill out the other characteristics, a chance to be recognized.

Although that first A will be a factor in some of the other pubs we get to, I've added that to the criteria list, specifically thinking about The Holy Tavern. It also applies to one we covered in our Gin Palace Episodes (Episode 5), The Crown and Sugarloaf.Both pubs are testaments to pub owners desire to keep up the tradition. You go, Publicans!

Well, that wraps it up for today. We went back quite aways in history but ended up in two great pubs. Not bad. Give them a visit when you can and be sure to check back here for the next Pubcast.