Change Alley, London EC3V 9LJ
Garraway’s Coffee House Plaque
Tiny historic site
Place photograph
2.1
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
Free
Cost
["Atmospheric"]
Feel
Why it's Wildland
2.1A small plaque marks the former home of a City coffee house where tea, trade and speculation once met. Garraway’s was associated with the first Hudson’s Bay Company fur sale in 1671 and the fevered trading of the South Sea Bubble.
This is a compact historical stop rather than a landscape escape. Its appeal lies in the story tied to an ordinary-looking City alley: a place where merchants met, tea was sold and consequential business was done.
["Atmospheric"]
Find your way
Open mapChange Alley, London EC3V 9LJ
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
A brief, history-led stop to find the plaque and explore the story of Garraway’s Coffee House. No larger on-site visitor experience is verified.
Things to do
Find the wall plaque
Look for the ornate plaque in Change Alley that marks the site of Garraway’s Coffee House; the original premises no longer stand.
Brief stop
Trace the coffee house’s trading story
Consider the plaque alongside the history of Garraway’s as a meeting place for merchants and its connection to the Hudson’s Bay Company’s first fur sale in 1671.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Brief stop
Find the Garraway’s plaque
- 01
Go to Change Alley.
- 02
Look for the plaque on a wall marking the site of Garraway’s Coffee House.
- 03
Read the place in context: the former coffee house was associated with City merchants and the Hudson’s Bay Company’s first fur sale.
Verified history
Garraway’s Coffee House stood in Change Alley and was associated with London’s merchant and trading community. The supplied historical account says Thomas Garway began selling tea there in 1657; another supplied account dates the start to 1656, so the precise year is disputed in these sources. In 1671 the Hudson’s Bay Company held its first fur sale at the coffee house. Garraway’s was also frequented during the South Sea Bubble. The premises were destroyed by fire in 1748, rebuilt and later closed in 1866. A plaque in Change Alley marks the site; the coffee house itself no longer exists.
Hidden details
The coffee house is gone — The plaque marks the former site; it is not a surviving coffee-house building.
A landmark in the history of tea and trade — Accounts connect Garraway’s with early tea sales in England and the Hudson’s Bay Company’s first fur sale in 1671.
When to go
· No specific time is evidenced as best.
This is a small urban heritage stop with no evidenced seasonal feature.
Check the weather and current access conditions before visiting.
What to look for
Look for the plaque on a wall in Change Alley, marking the site of the former coffee house. The original premises no longer exist.
The story
Industry
Best time to go
Any time the site is accessible; no season-specific reason to visit is evidenced.
No particular time of day is evidenced as best. Check access before setting out.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
["Solo" · "History lovers"]
Before you go
Address
Website
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
A plaque on a wall in Change Alley marks the site of Garraway’s Coffee House. Check before visiting for current access or any restrictions. Access arrangements are unconfirmed. Check before visiting; do not enter private land or restricted structures.
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Parking
Check before visiting; no parking information is available.
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Toilets
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Food & drink
Check before visiting; no current café or food provision is verified.
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The plaque is described as being on a wall in Change Alley. Step-free access and other accessibility details are not verified; check before visiting.
Check before visiting
Cost
Free
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Garraway’s Coffee House Plaque
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
