Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
If you would like to write a summary for this topic, email phil [at] gyford [dot] com
Annotations
-
On King Street in Westminster.
-
From the Companion:
Large tavern, on w. side [of King St], between Bell Alley and George Yard, kept by Edmund Waters… Pepys usually refers to it by name only. 22 hearths, 1664(It should be noted that Pepys also mentions three other taverns by this name, in Chancery Lane, Fish St Hill, and Threadneedle St.)
-
Situated on the west side of King Street, opposite the turning into New Palace Yard, this was a tavern by 1388 when it was described as being next to the gate of the king’s palace. In 1611 it was surveyed by Ralph Treswell and his plan shows that at this time it consisted of three storeys, with cellars beneath.
The Sun is mentioned in a poem by Herrick as one of the taverns that used to be frequented about 1628 by Ben Jonson and the group of wits that surrounded him (See “The Dog” for the verse.)
Samuel Pepys visited this tavern on many occasions, and from the entries linked at the bottom of this page seems to have found it a very comfortable place.
In the 1760s the Sun was still a place to dine, meet friends and conduct business but it had been affected by the road improvements made to the area for the approaches to Westminster Bridge, when Great George Street was cut through, and was not to survive much longer.
Source: Westminster City Archives
-
Pepys also refers to the Sun (King St) as “old George’s” after his favorite drawer there (L&M Index)
13 September 1661
http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1661/09/13/4 July 1663
http://www.pepysdiary.com/archive/1663/07/04/