The tavern that knew three kings

From the Templars to the City Corporation, the stories of Prince Henry's Room chart the changing politics and mores of England over four centuries. The site was once owned by the Templars, but after the dissolution of the Order of St. John, the building was rebuilt in 1610 and became a tavern known as the Prince's Arms. This coincided with the investiture of Prince Henry, the son of King James I, as Prince of Wales. Historian John Stow noted in 1598 that the tavern was a favourite place for the nobility to drink.

The building has hosted a succession of occupants, from Prince Henry himself, to statesmen like Lord Thurlow, to parliament, to a hairdresser's. Over the ages, myths have sprung up around Prince Henry's Room - that it was the home of Henry VIII or Cardinal Wolsey or a hot spot for the hackneyed double entendres of the Golden Garter. But the reality is simpler than fantasy. The building, now Grade II* listed, retains some Jacobean features in the original panelling and the plaster work.

These days it houses the offices of the Delegation of the Catalonian Regional Government to the UK. It offers a rare glimpse into English history, but only on special occasions.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons