Sunday, May 21, 2017

Banking on Lunch in the City



After a busy morning walking the wonderful streets of London, my legs told me it was time to sit and relax for a while.  So while wandering along among all those tall and exotic looking buildings in the City of London, I was keeping my eye out for a good place to have lunch and take a break from all that walking.

When I peeked in the open door of The Counting House I knew I had found the perfect spot.

How can a pub be so gorgeous?













I soon learned that what was now a pub was once a bank dating back to 1893.  It was once the home of Prescott's Bank to be exact.  And, the history of the place doesn't stop there.  The original bank building was built on the site of an old Roman basilica with the foundations of this building resting on ancient Roman walls.


I ordered a delicious pasta dish from a very friendly waitress who was happy to fill me in on some of the history of the place.


The bar of the pub sits in the center of the room and was once the place where banking transactions took place.  The domed glass ceiling and the chandeliers all date back from it's financial past.  I especially liked the supports that held up the antique brass foot rail around the bar.


The Counting House proved to be a great place for lunch with a splendid history and some very beautiful furnishings.  Squeezed in between all those glass and steel towers that the City of London is famous for, it was a gem of old world charm.

6 comments:

PerthDailyPhoto said...

What a spectacular find Sharon, the bar itself is a masterpiece, the wood carving incroyable.. then there's the dome.. brilliant spot for lunch!

Lowell said...

Oh this place is incredible! I love wood and I love all this wood and the carvings and the mirrors and, well, everything. I won't get to London so I really appreciate your photos of this marvelous city. I read Jennifer Robson's book, "Goodnight From London," yesterday and enjoyed it a lot. It's light reading, kind of a romance novel, but the emphasis is on Ruby, a young journalist who is sent to London in 1940 to report on the war and the Blitz. The "romance" is kind of a back-story.

William Kendall said...

Wow! That is beautiful!

Lois said...

Interesting history and such a lovely place Sharon. So much to look at while enjoying your food!

Thérèse said...

Such a beautiful place with such a past. The best way to learn is walking through these places like you are doing.

Catalyst said...

What a great place. I love the old architecture.