Williamson's Tavern Gates -- Groveland Court, City of London, UK
N 51° 30.793 W 000° 05.618
30U E 701661 N 5710904
The sign at the entry into Williamson's Tavern, famed for hosting King William III and Queen Mary, and receiving a pair of wrought-iron gates in appreciation
Waymark Code: WMT37G
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/17/2016
Views: 3
Williamson's Tavern is a great little find down a crooked lane near St. Paul's. Blasterz came here for dinner after eschewing yet another Pret A Manger meal (which is not to say PaM is bad, its just what we had for lunch).
The sign outside the pub gives a bit of the history here, and explains elaborate wrought-iron gates leading into another section of the pub, as follows:
"WILLIAMSON’S TAVERN
Williamson's Tavern dates back to the 17th century, built not long after the great fire of London in 1666. The site became the address of the new Mayor of London and the wrought iron gates a gift from William III and Mary II who were thought to have dined here.
By 1739 the building was not thought to be grand enough and address of the mayor and it was sold to Robert Williamson for conversion into a hotel.
The hotel remained in the Williamson family until 1914 when James Williamson died and it was sold at auction."
The gates are made of elegant wrought iron, clearly hand-wrought. They are painted black. On top in a circle, the dual cipher of King William III and Queen Mary are fashioned out of curled wrought iron. The cipher is made of the initials W and intertwined in elegant curling wrought iron. The cipher rests on a pedestal of wrought iron bars installed parallel to the top of the gate. Decorative swirls and flourishes cascade down the sides of the gate, further framing the Royal cipher.
From the City Pubs website: (
visit link)
"WILLIAMSON TAVERN
Occupied by Lord Mayors of London until around 1740 when it was sold to Robert Williamson who turned it into a hotel, it was first granted a intoxicating drinks licence in 1851. The wrought iron gates at the entrance were a gift from William III who dined with Queen Mary as the Lord Mayors guests, they are monogrammed with the letters WM. Tiles now seen on the fireplace in the smaller bar are Roman, found on the site during restoration work in 1939 (just a shame that some fool painted them red!). Folklore has it that inset into the wall of the lounge bar there is an inscribed tablet marking the exact center of the City of London
But what about it now, well, it's definitely not easy to find, being just off Bow Lane along a narrow walk way. If you can find it you will be rewarded with a lovely traditional pub in the heart of the City of London. Cask Marque accredited means you will receive an excellent condition beer. I may take 11 pulls to fill a pint and this always results in a large head, but staff are happy to top this up. The food is reasonable and there are plenty of places to sit and eat in lovely surroundings.
Always go to the back bar if you are in a hurry for the first pint."