Why did the chicken (or Cock) cross the road? Because it had to make way for the Law Courts branch of the
Bank of England. But there's a wonderful ironic twist, the bank has been turned into a pub.
The Cock crossed the road in 1887 and much of its interior was carefully installed in the new building, including the cock, fireplace and its 17th century oak overmantle. Legend has it this was the work of master carver Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721) who carved wood and stone decorations for many royal houses including Windsor, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace. He carved a throne and choir stall at St. Paul's up the road but comparing the workmanship he must have had a few before working on the pub.
Another twist saw most of the relocated artefacts destroyed in a fire in 1990. There are pre-fire photographs on display and the restoration that followed is a clever disguise. The cock, fireplace and mantle are on the first floor.
Every style of building of the past 300 years is in Fleet Street, but the Cock Tavern has to be the narrowest. In an attempt to distinguish itself from the gin palace a new style of mock antique or 'olde worlde' pub design was used to re-established wholesome values. Ye Olde Cock Tavern is an Edwardian fake of Olde England by architects Gilbert and Constandures. Grade II listed.
paulk, 2010-02-03
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