Simpson's Tavern was a pub and restaurant at 38 1/2, Ball Court Alley, Cornhill, in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

, EC3. Simpson's occupied a

Grade II listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

, built in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Simpson's Tavern was closed down by the owner of the building on 28 October 2022, following a dispute about rental payments.

Image records

1812 Record No: 1219 Catalogue No: v9045926 Description:

St Margaret Lothbury St Margaret Lothbury is a Church of England parish church on Lothbury in the City of London; it spans the boundary between Coleman Street Ward and Broad Street Ward. Recorded since the 12th century, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire of ...

(Deposited Collection). ''Elevation of house in Bird in Hand Court'',

Cheapside Cheapside is a street in the City of London, the historic and modern financial centre of London, England, which forms part of the A40 road, A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St Martin's Le Grand with Poultry, London, Poultry. Near its eas ...

, belonging to the parishes of St Mary Colechurch, London and St Mary, Battersea. Section:

London Metropolitan Archives The London Archives (previously known as the Greater London Record Office 1965–1997, and London Metropolitan Archives 1997–2024) is the principal local government archive repository for the Greater London area, including the City of London ...

. Record No: 1220 Catalogue No: v9045932 Description:

(Deposited Collection). ''Plan of estate in Bird in Hand Court'',

, belonging to the parishes of St Mary Colechurch, London and St Mary, Battersea. Section:

. 1819 Record No: 1221, Catalogue No: q2318143 Description:

(Deposited Collection). ''Elevation of no. 3 Bird in Hand Court, Cheapside.'',

, belonging to the parishes of St Mary Colechurch, London and St Mary, Battersea. Section:

. Record No: 1222, Catalogue No: q231815x, Description: ''Elevation of house in Bird in Hand Court, Cheapside, Section'':

. 1836 Record No: 4800 Catalogue No: q6889411 Title London Bridge (new) Description View of the entrance to London Bridge from Southwark showing London Bridge Tavern and the shop fronts of Benjamin Edgington and Paine and Simpson. Also showing a street scene with horse-drawn vehicles. Section: London Metropolitan Archives Artist Yates, G. (1777 - 1838) Medium: watercolour. 1941 Record No: 38648 Catalogue No: SC_PHL_01_005_88_311 Description: Front elevation of Simpson's public house (formerly Simpsons Tavern), 4 Castle Court, City of London, with windows and lamp visible. An open basement window for barrels and goods can also be seen. The passage is included in the Heritage Walk around the City as an example of a city tavern. Section: London Metropolitan Archives Record No: 38654 Catalogue No SC_PHL_01_005_F541 Description: Front elevation of Simpson's public house (formerly Simpson's Tavern), 4 Castle Court, City of London. The passage is included in the Heritage Walk around the City as an example of a city tavern. Section:

1953 Record No: 36036 Catalogue No: m0028667cl, Description: View of Bird in Hand Court, Date of execution: 1953, Section

, Artist Willis, James D, Medium photograph. 1970 Record No: 38814 Catalogue No SC_PHL_01_007_70_54 Description:'' 39 Cornhill, City of London: north facing front elevation. Four-storeys visible, each with five windows. Ground floor: five windows each with glass lunette; six pilasters supporting two classical style pediments at each end; flagpole fixed above both pediments. First floor: six

pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...

s supporting small parapet in classical style; five pedimented sash windows, balustrades upon the central three. Second floor: six pilasters supporting

classical style Classical architecture typically refers to architecture consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or more specifically, from ''De architectura'' (c. 10 AD) by the Roman architect Vitruvius. Va ...

parapet; flagpole fixed in front of central window. Bottom right: doorway with partially extended metal shutter; signs either side mark building number and premises of " The Union Discount Company of London Limited' ."; Alley to Ball Court leading to Simpson's Tavern (est.

1757 Events January–March * January 2 – Seven Years' War: The British East India Company Army, under the command of Robert Clive, captures Calcutta, India. * January 5 – Robert-François Damiens makes an unsuccessful assa ...

) partially visible. Number 39 Cornhill was Grade II listed in 1970, list entry number: 1064710 list entry number: 1191985''. Section:

1971 Record No 38841 Catalogue No: SC_PHL_01_007_71_2057 T''itle Interior of an office building in Cornhill Description 39 Cornhill, City of London: ground-floor office. Large windows with partial frosted glass section; sign form Simpson's Tavern partially visible through top left corner; ceiling candelabra; painting mounted on back wall, subject and artist unknown; marble fireplace with carriage clock and dark wood mirror; leather sofa and chairs; dark wood desk with lamp and paperweights. Number 39 Cornhill was Grade II listed in 1970, list entry number: 1064710. Simpson's Tavern was Grade II listed in 1970, list entry number: 1191985.''

Books & News

Books & News articles that mention or describe Simpsons Tavern and Simpsons Fish Ordinaries: *

William Makepeace Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray ( ; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English novelist and illustrator. He is known for his Satire, satirical works, particularly his 1847–1848 novel ''Vanity Fair (novel), Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portra ...

; a biography including hitherto uncollected letters & speeches & a bibliography of 1300 items by

Melville, Lewis Lewis Saul Benjamin (pen name, Lewis Melville; 1874–1932) was an English author, born into a Jewish familyWilliam D. Rubinstein, Michael Jolles, Hilary L. Rubinstein, ''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'', Palgrave Macmillan (2011 ...

, 1874-1932 Publication date 1910 page 82 * The uncollected writings of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...

Household Words ''Household Words'' was an English weekly magazine edited by Charles Dickens in the 1850s. It took its name from the line in Shakespeare's '' Henry V'': "Familiar in his mouth as household words." History During the planning stages, titles orig ...

, 1850-1859; by Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 page 120-122 and 709 *

. A Weekly Journal. Conducted by

1856-10-11: Vol 14 Issue 342 page 300 * Thackeray in the United States, 1852-3, 1855-6, including a record of a variety of Thackerayana. Bibliography by Frederick S. Dickson by Wilson, James Grant, 1832-1914; Dickson, Frederick Stoever, 1850-1925 page 176 * So You're Going To England by Clara E. Laughlin page 400 *

Notes and Queries ''Notes and Queries'', also styled ''Notes & Queries'', is a long-running quarterly scholarly journal that publishes short articles related to " English language and literature, lexicography, history, and scholarly antiquarianism".From the inner ...

27/9/1913 Vol 8 Issue 196 page 256 *

The Nation and Athenaeum ''The Nation and Athenaeum'', or simply ''The Nation'', was a United Kingdom political weekly newspaper with a Liberal/ Labour viewpoint. It was formed in 1921 from the merger of the '' Athenaeum'', a literary magazine published in London since ...

28/05/1921 Vol 29 Issue 9 Page 320 * The Ghosts of London by H. V. Morton pages 54 – 59 * In search of London by H. V. Morton (1892-1979) pages 34 & 349 * The Kiwanis Magazine 1924-01: Vol 9 Issue 1 *

Harper's New Monthly Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...

1870-07: Vol 41 Issue 242 page 264 * The Examiner and London Review 1870-05-07: Issue 3249 Page 4 * The Albion 1856-11-08: Vol 15 Issue 45 * The Shell book of firsts by Robertson, Patrick, 1940 page 156 * Plant doctoring is fun by Westcott, Cynthia, 1898 page 30 *

The Christian Science Monitor ''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles both in Electronic publishing, electronic format and a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 ...

1954-10-23: Vol 46 Issue 279 page 18 * The Christian Science Monitor 1940-03-23: Vol 32 Issue 99 page 30 * The new shell book of firsts by Robertson, Patrick; Robertson, Patrick. Shell book of firsts page 342 * A new book about London; a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore by Wagner, Leopold, 1858 page 10 * Meat three times a day by Schlink, F. J. (Frederick John), 1891-1995 page 42 * A journey due North; being notes of a residence in Russia by Sala, George Augustus, 1828-1895 page 42 * The journals of Arnold Bennett by Bennett, Arnold, 1867-1931 page 288, 291, 207 * The field Publication date 1853, page 152, 200, 224, 264, 284, 408, 432, 456. * The English inn by Burke, Thomas, 1886-1945 page 136 * The Best of All Good Company by

Blanchard Jerrold William Blanchard Jerrold (London 23 December 1826 – 10 March 1884), was an English journalist and author. Biography He was born in London, the eldest son of the dramatist, Douglas William Jerrold. Due to his disagreements with the practi ...

page 187 * The social history of smoking by Apperson, George Latimer, 1857-1937. n 50023502 * Agnes Scott Alumnae Quarterly 939-1940by

Agnes Scott College Agnes Scott College is a Private university, private Women's Colleges in the Southern United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Decatur, Georgia. The college enrolls approximately 1,000 undergra ...

page 38 * The Journals Of Anrnold Bennett by Newmas Flower page 298 *

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

31 May 1996, Ireland, English: Industrial trawling empties the ocean

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Simpson's Tavern Grade II listed pubs in the City of London