LITERARY PUBS: YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE, LONDON

There are a number of pubs in London with Charles Dickens associations, but the one all Dickens fans should visit is Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese at 145 Fleet Street.  Not only did Dickens frequent this quaint and atompheric boozer during his time working in the city, but it had a role to play in one of his classics, ‘A Tale of Two Cities’, set before and after the French Revolution.  There is a scene in the novel in which two of the main characters, Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton, head to a tavern to dine.  Although the tavern is not named, its location on Fleet Street and access ‘up a covered way’ have led to universal acceptance that Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is the inn in question.  The fare on offer is described as “a good plain dinner and good wine”.  I can back this up, based on a visit some years ago, when as far as I can recall I had a perfectly nice Ploughmans at a surprisingly reasonable price for London. 

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Holborn, London. Photo by Adam Bruderer, via Wikimedia Commons.

Charles Dickens is not the only well-known literary figure to have frequented Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.  Others include G. K. Chesterton, Mark Twain, Samuel Johnson, W. B. Yeats and Arthur Conan Doyle.  In 1927 another eminent writer, P. G. Wodehouse, told a friend that he had looked in at the Garrick (presumably either the theatre or the Garrick Arms) at lunchtime, “took one glance of loathing at the mob, and went off to lunch by myself at the Cheshire Cheese”.   

Cheshire Cheese Basement (15815848118). Photo by It's No Game, via Wikimedia Commons.

The original tavern was opened in 1538 on a site which formed part of a 13^th century Carmelite monastery.  Like many of the capital’s inns of the time, it was destroyed by fire during the Great Fire of London in 1666, but was rebuilt the following year.  The authentic atmosphere inside the pub is enhanced by the sawdust on the floor, which is changed twice daily.  As well as the decent pub food, the bar dispenses beers and other drinks bearing the Samuel Smith label.

Map of the area.

LOCATIONS FIT FOR A QUEEN-TO-BE: THE CROWN/SOMERLEY HOUSE, HAMPSHIRE AND YORK MINSTER

 

The long-awaited resumption of The Crown on Netflix is upon us, and the reaction to the latest instalments has been fairly negative for various reasons.  However, I am still enjoying it for the standard of the production, not least some of the sumptuous locations featured in the series.  Camilla is starting to come to the fore now, and there are two key events with her at centre stage: the 50^th birthday party at Highgrove and the wedding of Charles and Camilla, which in real life took place in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

For the birthday party scenes, Somerley House in Hampshire stands in for Highgrove, continuing on from earlier appearances in the series.  The festivities themselves take place in a large outdoor marquee, but there are lovely views of the exterior of the property.  Later in the series, when Charles and Camilla finally tie the knot, York Minster is used for the wedding scenes at St George’s Chapel, which could not be used for the filming.  The Minster was closed for five days in April this year, and crowds gathered outside hoping to spot some of the stars, although nobody knew at the time what event was being filmed.

Somerley-House. Photo by Somerley Ent., via Wikimedia Commons.

 

Somerley House is a short distance to the northwest of Ringwood on the western edge of the New Forest National Park.  The house, located in an elevated position with lovely views of the surrounding parkland, is a Grade II listed Georgian building, though the original property, home to the Okden family, dated from 1653.  The house was destroyed by fire and a new one was built in its place.  The house and estate are not open to the public but hosts weddings, corporate events and festivals.

York Minster - geograph.org.uk - 2407484. Photo by Michael Fox, via Wikimedia Commons.

 

York Minster was founded in 627 and today operates as an Anglican cathedral.  Like Somerley, it fell victim to a fire, much more recently in 1984, with the South Transept suffering the bulk of the damage.  However, the damaged was repaired and restoration work carried out at a cost of £2.25 million.  The cathedral is open to visitors at a charge of £16.00 for adults, but is well worth the money.  It is one of numerous attractions in the city of York, along with the Jorvik Viking Centre, York Castle Museum and many other points of interest.  Aside from these, there are boat trips along the River Ouse and York is famous for its evening ghost tours.

Map of Somerley Estate and surrounding area.

Map of York.