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 The Ship Tavern was established in 1549 & has been at the heart of Holborn's social scene for over 500 years. The original Tavern was then only half the size as it is today and constructed mostly from timber. Its main purpose was to quench the thirst of exhausted labourers who were tending to the nearby fields, now partly Lincoln's Inn Fields. As well as being a public house, The Ship Tavern has served many purposes in its lifetime. Notably during the despotic reign of Henry VIII, Catholics would sneak into the Ship Tavern to attend mass, conducted by outlawed priests who would conduct mass from behind the bar. Lookouts would be posted around the neighbourhood, and a pre-arranged signal would warn the congregation when the king's zealous officials came in to view. The warning would, hopefully, give the priest time to escape into one of the several 'hidey-holes' (some of which still exist today) and allow the congregation time to take up their tankards and become just another group of regulars in a pub. However, some priests were not so lucky and were discovered hiding in the cellar, subsequently they were executed on the spot. Their chilling screams can still sometimes be heard to this day. Other famous guests to visit the Tavern over the years include Richard Penderel who helped King Charles escape & also Smeaton, who built the first Eddystone lighthouse.
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