Swan with Two Necks, 41 Gresham Street, Cheapside, St Lawrence Jewry EC2V

St Lawrence Jewry pub history index

Lad Lane becomes part of Gresham Street, through road renaming about 1851; This inn was present by 1630 and had closed by 1867 – it is now long-demolished. **

A quote from the British Almanac of 1862 which carries a section about recent architecture:
"One of the most remarkable recent buildings in the City for its size and constructive features occupies the site of the well-known Swan-with-Two-Necks, in Gresham Street. It is built for Messrs. Chaplin and Horne, the railway carriers, and has a frontage of nearly 100 feet, a depth of 150 feet, and a height of 64 feet above the pavement, while beneath are warehouses and extensive stabling."
It mentions the architect of the new building as W Tite, (William Tite who did the Royal Exchange still lording it over the Bank of England corner). ***

Wood street and Ladd lane in 1682 Morgans map listed as 441 Swan with Two Necks Inn.  And in Wood street are listed  434 Bell Inne ; 437 Coach & Horses Inne ; 438 Castle Inne ; and 448 Cross keys Inne.

Ladd lane in 1682 Morgans map listed as 441 Swan with Two Necks Inn. And in Wood street are listed 434 Bell Inne ; 437 Coach & Horses Inne ; 438 Castle Inne ; and 448 Cross keys Inne.

The Swan Inn, Lad Lane in the 1746 Rocques map. Also clearly marked are the Bell Inn, the White horse Inn, the Castle Inn, and the Cross keys Inn;  all in Wood street.

The Swan Inn, Lad Lane in the 1746 Rocques map. Also clearly marked are the Bell Inn, the White horse Inn, the Castle Inn, and the Cross keys Inn; all in Wood street.

The Swan Inn, Lad Lane in the 1799 Rocques map. Also clearly marked are the Castle Inn, Wood street and the Bull Inn [Bell Inn], Wood street.

The Swan Inn, Lad Lane in the 1799 Rocques map. Also clearly marked are the Castle Inn, Wood street and the Bull Inn [Bell Inn], Wood street.

A listing of historical London public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in St Lawrence Jewry parish, City of London.

Swan with Two Necks, Lad Lane, Cheapside - circa early 1800s

Swan with Two Necks, Lad Lane, Cheapside - circa early 1800s

Kindly provided by Colleen

Residents at this address.

In 1682, The Inn is noted on the 1682 Morgans map, when it is listed as 441 The Swan with Two Necks Inn in Ladd lane.

The Swan with Two Necks, Lad lane was a very important stagecoach inn, and there are also a considerable number of entries at the Old Bailey online site,  many from the 1760s

1752/John Booth/Porter/../../old bailey online **

1777/Thomas Wilson, Francis Lee & Elizabeth Clapham/../../../old bailey online **

1777/Joseph Worsop/Servant/../../old bailey online **

1779/Elizabeth Clapham/co-proprietor/../../old bailey online **

1780/John Heley/../../../old bailey online **

1784/James Farrell/Head waiter/../../old bailey online **

1791/Mr Brewer/../../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **

1794/Thomas Smith/Head Hostler/../../old bailey online **

The 1796 Electoral Poll lists a James Brewer, Innholder, at the Swan, Lad lane

1800/James Brewer/../../../old bailey online **

1800/James Silsoe/Chamberlain/../../old bailey online **

1800/John Berry/Servant/../../old bailey online **

1801/Thomas Brewer/../../../old bailey online **

1801/Susannah Johns/Barmaid/../../old bailey online **

1802/James Simpson/../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1804/Messrs Simpson & Williams / Innholders /../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1804/Mr Brewer/../../../old bailey online **

1805/Messrs Wilson & Waterhouse/../../../old bailey online **

1806/James Gilpas/Porter/../../old bailey online **

1808/Thomas How/employee/../../old bailey online **

1808/William Williams/../../../old bailey online **

1808/Frederick Polman/Waiter/../../old bailey online **

1810/William Waterhouse / Coachmaster //../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1810/Robert Couch/Porter/../../old bailey online **

1811/John Dewhurst, Swan with Two Necks tavern, Lad lane, Cheapside/../../Holdens Directory

1811/Samuel Perry/Clerk/../../old bailey online **

1818/William Kingsford/../../../old bailey online **

1820/Thomas Elliott/Porter/../../old bailey online **

1820/Samuel Crouch/Porter/../../old bailey online **

1821/Mr Waterhouse/../../../Proceedings of the Old Bailey **

1822/William Kingsford/../../../old bailey online **

1822/William Kingsford/../../../Hotels, Taverns & Coffee Houses

1822/William Kingford, Swan with Two Necks Coffee House & Hotel, Lad lane/../../Post Office Directory

1824/Mr William Waterhouse/Coach Master/../../old bailey online **

1825/Mr Kingsford/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association

1826/Joseph & William Waterhouse/../../../old bailey online **

1827/William Kingsford/Swan, Lad lane/../../Licensed Victuallers Association

1831/William Chaplin / Innholder /../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1832/William Chaplin / Innholder /../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1835/William Chaplin/../../../Innholder ** & John Marks Urbain/../../../Waiter ** –/../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1839/William Chaplin / Innholder /../../../Sun Fire Office records, held at Guildhall Library **

1839/William Chaplain junior/../../../Tap **/../../../Pigot’s Directory **

1841/William Chaplin jun/../../../Post Office Directory

1843/William Chaplin jun/../../../Kellys Directory

1848/William Chaplin/Railway Office, Spread Eagle, 84 Gracechurch Street; Swan with 2 Necks, Lad Lane; White Horse, 90 Fetter Lane; Universal Office, Regent Circus, & Angel, St Clements/../../../Post Office Directory

February 1848/William James Chaplin/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era

February 1848/Thomas Dewey/Incoming Licensee/../../Era

1851/William Jas Chaplin & Hen Worthy Horne/wharfingers & general railway Carriers & agents to all the Railway Companies, Hambro wharf, 68 1/2 Upper Thames Street; Swan with 2 Necks, 10 gresham Street; Cross Keys, 129 Wood Street; Spread Eagle, Gracechurch Street; Bolt in Tun, Fleet Street; George & Blue Boar, Holborn, Regents Circus, Piccadilly; Golden Cross, Charing Cross; Griffins Green Man, oxford Street, Jolleys Warehouse, 13 Aldergate Street & Camden Station, Camden Town/../../../Kellys Directory

1851/Thomas Dewey/../../../Kellys Directory

1851/Thomas Dewey/Victualler/48/Cheshunt, Herst/Census
1851/Mary Dewey/Wife/40/Martham, Norfolk/Census
1851/Elizabeth Corherider/Mother in Law, Widow/60/Reedham, Norfolk/Census
1851/Charlotte Griffiths/Barmaid/25/London/Census
1851/Mary Mepham/Servant, Widow/40/Tunbridge Wells, Kent/Census
1851/William Davis/Servant/15/Kent Road, Middlesex/Census

March 1854/Thomas Dewey, deceased/Outgoing Licensee/../../Era

March 1854/Mary Dewey, widow and administratrix of Thomas Dewey/Incoming Licensee/../../Era

1856/Mrs Mary Dewey/../../../Post Office Directory

The Swan & Two Necks appears to have disappeared by 1861 census, and certainly by the time of the 1869 Trade Directory. Nearby, in 1869 at 44 Gresham Street is the Receiving Office for Goods for the Great Eastern, London & South Western, South Eastern, London, Brighton & South Coast & London, Chatham & Dover Railway Companies. This suggests that the railway has taken over the carrier business.


** Provided By Stephen Harris

*** Provided By Terence Hodgson

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  • And Last updated on: Thursday, 25-Jan-2024 10:26:21 GMT