London, Fleet Street. Established in 1538 and rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The pubs vaulted cellars are thought to date back to a 13th century Carmelite monastery. Literary figures Mark Twain, Charles Dickens (it is alluded to in his "A Tale of Two Cities"), Alfred Tennyson and Sir Conan Doyle were known to be regulars. According to the Betty Crocker cookbook Dickens dined on Welsh Rarebit here. Agatha Christie wrote that her fictional character Hercules Poirot dined here in her 1924 story "The Million Dollar Bond Robbery". In 1905 Jumbo Junior, the smallest elephant to be imported into Britain was invited to visit the pub. Outside is a sign listed all the monarchs from Charles I to Charles III that have ruled while the pub has been here. It has a unique old interior with multiple levels, stone staircases, and ancient wood, with many rooms and bars. It is a Samuel Smith's pub and I enjoyed a Yorkshire Stingo, a rare cask aged beer with notes of raisin, treacle coffee, and Christmas pudding and is 8-9 abv! This is definitely a pub not to be missed!