Covent Garden, London. Originally a coaching house licensed as the Coach and Horses in 1694. In 1855 the landlord was Ben Caunt, heavyweight champion of England. Big Ben is said to be named after him. It became The Salisbury in 1866 and was rebuilt in 1892. It is named after Robert Cecil, the Third Marquis of Salisbury who was British Prime Minister three times between 1885 and 1902, and said to be Queen Victoria's favorite prime minister. The Cecil family still owns the building's freehold. It was a well known gay friendly pub and Oscar Wilde was a frequent patron. Marianne Faithfull was another famous visitor. In 1979 British serial killer Dennis Nilson attempted to murder Andrew Ho, a student from Hong Kong he had met at the pub.

The interior is stunning Victorian era in design, with hand carved mahogany panels, ornate woodwork, the original marble top bar, etched glass, large mirrors, Art Nouveau light fittings, and a beautiful Lincrusta ceiling. It is a Greene King pub, their Kensington Pale Ale was my beer of choice. Try to check out this beauty if you are in the Trafalgar Square/Covent Garden area.