The Devil Tavern

The Devil Tavern was a historic London tavern located at number 2 Fleet Street in London, close to Temple Bar and opposite the church of Saint Dunstan. Its full sign was The Devil and Saint Dunstan, and its sign reportedly showed the devil tweaking Saint Dunstan's nose. The establishment existed from the reign of James I, which lasted from 1603 to 1625, until the premises were demolished in 1787. The demolition was carried out by Child & Co. as part of an expansion of its banking premises. The tavern is no longer extant, but its former location is commemorated by a City of London blue plaque stating that it was the site of the Devil Tavern, demolished in 1787. Available reference material documents the tavern primarily as a historical Fleet Street hostelry and does not establish a surviving corporate successor, modern operating business, product portfolio, ownership structure, or commercial brand system.

The Devil Tavern was situated at 2 Fleet Street in London, opposite the church of Saint Dunstan and near Temple Bar. Its documented full name, The Devil and Saint Dunstan, reflected the tavern's distinctive sign, which depicted the devil tweaking Saint Dunstan's nose. The imagery connected the establishment to the visual and devotional culture of historic London while also giving it a memorable public identity on one of the capital's major thoroughfares. The tavern's operating history extended from the reign of James I, conventionally dated from 1603 to 1625, through the eighteenth century. The available historical account does not identify a precise opening year, founder, proprietor, menu, or detailed chronology of its day-to-day business. It is therefore best understood from the surviving references as a long-running Fleet Street hostelry rather than as a documented modern brand with a known product range or corporate organization. The establishment ended when its building was demolished in 1787. Child & Co. undertook the demolition to expand its banking premises, marking a change in the commercial use of the site. The tavern itself did not continue as an operating venue after that redevelopment. Its memory is preserved through a City of London blue plaque marking the former site and recording that the Devil Tavern was demolished in 1787.

• 1787

  Tavern demolished

  [1]The Devil Tavernen.wikipedia.org

  Child & Co. demolished the premises to enlarge its banking facilities. This ended the tavern's operation at 2 Fleet Street.

• 1603

  Documented operating period begins during the reign of James I

  [1]The Devil Tavernen.wikipedia.org

  The Devil Tavern is described as existing from the reign of James I, whose rule began in 1603. The sources do not provide a more precise founding date.

• Former site commemorated by a City of London blue plaque

  [1]The Devil Tavernen.wikipedia.org

  A blue plaque marks the location as the site of the Devil Tavern and records its demolition in 1787.

A historic Fleet Street tavern and licensed hostelry associated with the area around Temple Bar and Saint Dunstan's church.

1. 1The Devil Tavernen.wikipedia.org