The claim
Reached by a slender alley off Hatton Garden, Ye Olde Mitre feels like a secret. It stands on the former estate of the Bishops of Ely, and legend gives it a 1546 foundation, though the snug panelled rooms date from the 1770s. Look for the preserved cherry-tree trunk said to mark an old property boundary.
What the records show
The claim is the pub's own: its about page says the Mitre was built in 1546 for the servants of the Bishops of Ely. Historic England shows the current building dates from the 1770s redevelopment, with licensees recorded from 1791.
| Year | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1546 | Claimed founding | The pub |
| c.1772 | Present building | Building fabric |
| 1791 | First record of a drinking house here | Historic England |
What to look for inside
- Hidden in Ely Court between Hatton Garden and Ely Place
- Preserved cherry tree trunk marking a historic property boundary
- CAMRA three-star historic interior
- Closed on Sundays
Visiting
Ye Olde Mitre is in London, England, at 1 Ely Court, Ely Place, Hatton Garden, London EC1N 6SJ. We do not list opening times, because they change; the pub’s own site is the place to check before you set out.
Sources
- heritagecalling.com/2025/09/25/what-is-the-oldest-historic-pub-in-london/
- camra.org.uk/pubs/olde-mitre-london-156323
- www.yeoldemitreholborn.co.uk/about
- historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1078281
- ratings.food.gov.uk/business/423794
- www.yeoldemitreholborn.co.uk/whats-on
Know something we don’t?Suggest a correctionLast checked Sept 2026
Run this pub? There is a badge for it
Free to put on your own site, no permission needed. It shows what the pub claims and what the records support, and it changes when the data does.
How to use it, and how to change what it says — if you have a document we have not seen, we would like to read it.
