Cornhill, On Friday, March 25th, 1748 listing many coffee houses.

I would love to just copy this map onto this page, and talk about it, but this is not what I do. But I can describe it, and talk about it, like describing a good book you have read.

The better map is here, and it is brilliant. If you click on it, the map enlarges too. It also names the owner at this time. Most, if not all buildings are suggested to have been burnt or damaged, although this is not entirely clear what this means.

We have St Michaels church in St Michaels alley, and next door is Jamaica Coffee house. Opposite in St Michaels alley is the Cock and Lion Ale house (Griffiths).

Just east of St Michaels alley, is the George and Vulture tavern (Papworth), and Elfords Coffee house nearby (I don’t have any records of this at the moment).

Moving south on this brilliant map is Birchin lane. On the north side are, from left to right, the Cock eating house, Pensilvania Coffee house (Richards), the Marine Coffee house (Chapman, and just up Charles court), the Woolpack Alehouse (Baynham) alongside White Horse yard, then after a few other buildings is Coles Coffee house.

On the south side of Birchin lane are Toms coffee house, and the SwordBlade coffee house (Newington) at the corner of Exchange alley.

Moving towards Cornhill, Fleet passage leads to Fleece (Cook), and Jerusalem Coffee house (Worgan) and the Three Tuns Roycroft).

Back to Cornhill are the Rainbow coffee house & Willcocks booksellers, then past another entrance to Fleece passage, we pass a larger Toms Coffee house (Shipston). This and the Jerusalem appear to be in Cowper court, not named on this map.

Further down Cornhill, and opposite the Royal Exchange are the Union coffee house and the New Union coffee house.

Heading back into Swan passage leads to Exchange alley, a curiously shaped alleyway, with many along its route. That part below the Three Tuns includes the Swan (Barton), and Jonathans (Price); Sams coffee house, the Crown alehouse and Garraways (Wilson).

These are all interspersed by Insurance offices.