Princess Louise

Welcome to High Holborn, a historic thoroughfare that has for centuries connected the mercantile heart of the City of London with the aristocratic West End. I am delighted to be your guide today as we explore a truly exceptional…

Before we cross the threshold into the dimly lit interior, I invite you to step back slightly toward the pavement and cast your gaze upward at the pub's magnificent ground floor facade. In the dense, often grey architectural…

Stepping through the main entrance, you are immediately enveloped in an atmosphere of shadowed mahogany and gleaming glass. We find ourselves navigating a remarkable layout of segmented spaces, known historically as snugs or…

Moving toward the center of the establishment, we approach the magnificent main bar counter and the towering structure behind it, known as the bar back. This astonishing piece of craftsmanship, constructed from dark, richly…

Let us continue our progression toward the rear of the pub, guiding our attention to the stunning stained glass windows set into the walls. These particular panels, identified by architectural historians as originating from the…

If you look down and guide your steps along the thoroughfares connecting the various snugs and seating areas, you will discover what are arguably some of the most spectacular surviving elements of this building. These corridors…

Standing near the rear of the main bar area, cast your eyes upward to observe the grand, classical Corinthian columns that stoically support the ornately decorated ceiling above us. Just behind the bar counter in this vicinity,…

For our final designated stop within the Princess Louise, we must descend the staircase leading down into the basement level. We are heading toward an architectural feature so remarkably preserved that it has been granted its…

As we conclude our audio journey and you prepare to ascend the stairs back into the vibrant, modern rush of High Holborn, let us take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary synthesis of history and architecture we have…