Ye Olde Pub Lunch
By Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17795)
London, England
March 27, 2017 1:47pm CST
Having finally found where the Rolling Stones broke into the big time and escaped death by cupcakes, I decided on lunch and set off for the City and the Hoop and Grapes, one of the pubs I like, which claims to be the oldest licensed house in the City. I settled on bangers and mash, with plenty of English mustard and to knock it down a half of Landlord bitter.
The picture shows the ancient brickwork of the vaults, where the facilities are. Needless to say, I made sure no one was around when I took the pictures - don't want people getting the wrong idea! There is also a speaker tube from the bar down to the cellar, so the landlord could hear what the bar flies were up to.
The foundations are thought to date to the 13 century, and the surviving building from the 17 century. The pub was lucky to survive the 1980s and was in danger of being demolished having sheared sideways some 18 inches. The structure suffered a bit and the front door looks somewhat wonky, but it is all supported by a steel frame.
There are some more pictures on
Based on previously published article on Persona paper
Front of the Hoop and Grapes on Aldgate High Street. Originally called the Hop and Grapes, as it sold beer and wine.
9 people like this
11 responses
@Ronrybs (17795)
• London, England
31 Mar 17
@Lupita234 Off the top of my head, there weren't that many killed in the fire, building damage, on the other hand, was immense
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (72527)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
27 Mar 17
Sounds interesting I love exploring old buildings and wow the pub still functions.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (48855)
• United States
1 Apr 17
I will check your other photos out
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (57983)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
27 Mar 17
Sounds like quite the adventure. I love reading your traveling posts. Makes me really wanna take a trip out there and explore for myself.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16498)
• China
28 Mar 17
I guess you lunched there just for drinking in the atmosphere.It is indeed a building of great antiquity.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109865)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Mar 17
Too bad they don't strip away the years and refurbish with the original brick.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43451)
• Denver, Colorado
28 Mar 17
What a great pub! I've seen nothing like that over here.
@FayeHazel (40250)
• United States
30 Mar 17
I don't know that I've even seen brickwork exactly like that. Thanks for sharing
1 person likes this