History

The oldest surviving pub in Mayfair

Established around 1744 in what would have been the western fringes of London at the time, the Coach & Horses boasts the distinction of being the oldest surviving pub in Mayfair. This beautiful Shepherd Neame public house was granted a Grade II listing in 1989 and has also been recognised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) as having an interior of special national historic interest.

The name ‘Coach & Horses’ suggests that the pub served as a staging point for a network of enterprising coach routes into and out of London during the 18th and 19th centuries. Much like it does today, the pub will have played host to a steady stream of tourists, workers, and Mayfair locals.

The name of the area is said to refer to a regularly occurring fair for which King James II granted permission in 1686. The event took place in what is now known as Shepherd Market for two weeks every May and became known as the ‘May Fair.’