Located down a narrow alleyway near Covent Garden, the Lamb & Flag is considered one of London’s oldest pubs and was once a favorite watering hole of Charles Dickens. A pub first existed on the site around 1623, and the current pub dates from 1772. In the early 19th century, the site was a popular location for bare-knuckle fighting and was nicknamed ‘The Bucket of Blood’. The pub’s upstairs room is dedicated to English poet John Dryden who was nearly beaten to death in the pub’s alleyway by thugs hired by the 2nd Earl of Rochester in 1679. The use of the Lamb and Flag symbol is connected to the religious emblem adopted by the Middle Temple of the Inns of Court. Today, the pub is owned by Fuller’s and features traditional English pub fare and a wide range of cask ales and real beers.
- Lamb & Flag
- 33 Rose Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9EB
- www.lambandflagcoventgarden.co.uk
- Underground: Covent Garden