Ye Olde Cock Tavern is a Grade II listed

public house A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and wa ...

at 22 Fleet Street, London EC4. It is part of the

Taylor Walker Pubs Spirit Pub Company plc (Spirit) was a pub and restaurant company in the United Kingdom based in Burton upon Trent and originally formed by Punch Taverns. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange until it was acquired by Greene King in June 2 ...

group. Originally built before the 17th century, it was rebuilt, including the interior (which is thought to include work by carver

Grinling Gibbons Grinling Gibbons (4 April 1648 – 3 August 1721) was an Anglo-Dutch sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace, St Paul's Cathedral and other London churches, Petworth House and othe ...

), on the other side of the road in the 1880s when a branch of the Bank of England was built where it stood.All in London - Olde Cock Tavern Info
(Accessed 31 March 2008) However, in the 1990s a fire broke out and destroyed many of the original ornaments, and the building has since gone through a restoration using photographs. In 1930 the founding meeting of the Society of Industrial Artists, later renamed Society of Industrial Artists and Designers and now the

Chartered Society of Designers The Chartered Society of Designers (CSD) is a professional body for designers. It is the only Royal Chartered body of experienced designers. Its membership is multi-disciplinary – representing designers in all design, disciplines including I ...

, was held at the Olde Cock Tavern, and attendees included Sir Misha Black and Milner Gray. It was frequented by Samuel Pepys,

Alfred Tennyson Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his ...

and

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

.''Evans. J.'', The Book of Beer Knowledge, The Olde Cocke has also become the meeting place for the world's oldest free speech society, or debating club,

Cogers The Society of Cogers (pronounced KOE-jers) is a free speech society, established in 1755 in the City of London. It is the oldest debating society in the world and one of the oldest speaking gatherings of any kind. History and concept The name ...

on each second Monday of the month.The previous meeting place was the Old Bank of England
/ref> In addition, the

Sylvan Debating Club The Sylvan Debating Club is a free speech society in which topical issues are discussed. Founded in London in 1868, it meets monthly and employs a traditional motion-based debating format."The Sylvan Debating Club. Mr. Maxse and the Sanctity of C ...

meets there on the first Monday of the month.

References

External links

*
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Olde Cock Tavern, Ye Grade II listed pubs in the City of London