Why did the chicken, or in this case the Cock, cross the road?
Because it had to make way for the Law Courts branch of the Bank of England.
But there's a wonderful ironic twist, the bank has been turned into a pub.

The Cock crossed the road in 1887 and much of its interior was carefully installed in the new building, including the fireplace, its overmantle and the ornamental cockerel. They are thought to be the work of master carver Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721). Gibbons carved wood and stone decorations for many royal houses including Windsor, Hampton Court and Kensington Palace. At the other end of Fleet Street is St. Paul's, where Gibbons carved a throne and choir stalls. Perhaps he stayed at the Cock and the carvings were payment in kind?

Another twist, this time fate, saw most of the relocated artefacts destroyed in a fire in 1990. There are pre-fire photographs on display and the restoration that followed is a clever disguise. The cock, fireplace and mantle are on the first floor. If it's cordoned off ask for permission to see it.

Every style of building of the past 300 years is in Fleet Street, but the Cock Tavern has to be the narrowest. In an attempt to distinguish itself from the gin palace a new style of mock antique or 'olde worlde' pub design was used to re-established wholesome values. Ye Olde Cock Tavern is a Victorian fake of Olde England.

A make-over of the ground floor a few years ago left the Cock sapped of its character. The removal of the bar billiard table added a few extra seats, but diminished the pub's community feel. With so many excellent historic pubs in this area, the Cock has just enough interest to remain on this site.