Three star - A pub interior of exceptional national historic importance
Listed Status: II
51-54 Carey StreetTel: (020) 7242 8521
Email: roxy@roxybeaujolais.com
Website http://www.thesevenstars1602.co.uk
Real Ale: Yes
Lunchtime Meals: Yes
Evening Meals: Yes
Nearby Station: City Thameslink
Station Distance: 700m
Public Transport: Near Railway Station (City Thameslink) and Bus Stop
Bus: Yes
View on: Whatpub
A candidate for the oldest pub in London, with possibly unique names on two doors, and with Victorian bar-back and bar counters.
This is a small, famous and much-loved free house in the heart of legal London opposite the Royal Courts of Justice. The frontage bears the date 1602 but the building itself probably dates from "only" the 1680s, and was extended into the building on the right in 1878. The core of the pub is the part with doors embellished with etched and gilded glass, declaring ‘private counter’ (on the left) and ‘general counter’ (right). These names are probably unique, certainly in the experience of the writers, and correspond to the more commonly used ‘private bar’ and ‘public bar’. So there were evidently two separate areas fronting on to a common servery and divided, no doubt, by a timber screen. The counter (a plain affair) and bar-back are Victorian and the coloured advertising panels in the head of the latter are typical of the period around 1870-1890. The pub further expanded into the building on the left hand side in relatively recent years to form a cosy drinking area called the ‘Wig Box’. Imagine the pub without these extensions and you can get a sense of just how small it was in Victorian days. There are three fine old advertising mirrors.
A small, famous and much-loved free house in the heart of legal London. The frontage bears the date 1602 but the building itself probably dates only from the 1680s. It was extended into the next building in 1878. The core of the pub is the part with doors embellished with etched and gilded glass, declaring ‘private counter’ (on the left) and ‘general counter’ (right). These names are probably unique, certainly in the experience of the writers, and correspond to the more commonly used ‘private bar’ and ‘public bar’. So there were evidently two separate areas fronting on to a common servery and divided, no doubt, by a timber screen. The counter (a plain affair) and bar-back are Victorian and the coloured advertising panels in the head of the latter are typical of the period around 1870-1890. The pub expanded into a right-hand area and recently has experienced further growth on the left into the next-door building to form a cosy drinking area called the ‘Wig Box’. Imagine the pub without these extensions and you can get a sense of just how small it was in Victorian days. There are three fine old advertising mirrors.