So here's a boozer with a rather interesting history. I was in Holborn yesterday walking back from a meeting in the city and passed this famous pub. It's known for being the place where the disinterred body of Oliver Cromwell was housed prior to being posthumously hung at Tyburn. Cromwell died in 1658 of Malaria spurning the only available treatment at the time which was Quinine (because it had been discovered by a Catholic monk so, not so smart then..) and buried in Westminster Abbey. However, when the monarchy was re-established in 1660 the new king (in an act of ultimate spite) decided to dig his remains up and hang them, not only that, but also to chop the head off and stick it on a spike on Westminster hall! Bad loser I guess? Anyway, the body was taken on a cart to this pub and held overnight before being taken down what is now Oxford Street to Tyburn and hung.
Legend has it however that during that overnight stay in the pub cellar the bodies were switched and the next day it wasn't Cromwell's corpse that was hung but someone else! The story goes on to claim that the actual body was buried behind the pub in fields (fields did indeed exist behind the pub at the time, and are the site of modern day Red Lion Square) Is it true? Well, there's no evidence to support this story, and people did claim to recognise Cromwell's body and features during the gibbeting, so who knows? But, what a great tale to tell over a pint or two on the way back to Holborn station!
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