The beautiful stained glass window has the date 1625 in the inscription that is a little difficult to read on the inside with all the boxes stacked in front of it. The building is thought to be the only wooden structure to have survived the great fire of 1666. It was at that time the home of the gatekeeper of Temple. It later became a club named the wig and pen, a hangout for the nearby lawyers and journalists. Sadly it was taken over by developers in 2003, re-opening as a Thai restaurant.
Mmm, I suppose it is silly to say I would have expected to have 'Ye Olde English Food' instead!
ReplyDeleteI love tales like this and I seem to recall this from one of my walks. What a very lucky gatekeeper.
ReplyDeleteIt has a beautiful store front.
ReplyDeleteNice story with a perhaps sad ending?
ReplyDeleteA beautiful building, there should not be a Thai restaurant in. Better make it an original english pub.
ReplyDeleteA place like that with so much history deserves better than to be saddled with a Thai restaurant. Maybe someday...
ReplyDeleteThe dates you share are amazing. Impressive architecture.
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