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The Old Curiosity Shop

 
 
ADDRESS
13 Portsmouth Street, Holborn, London WC2A 2ES 
 
TELEPHONE
020 7405 9891 
 
OPENING TIMES
Mon to Sat 11:00-19:00
 

Nearby The Old Curiosity Shop

 
 
The Old Curiosity Shop16th century shop and literary landmark.

With its precarious overhanging upper storey, uneven floorboards, sloping roof and wooden beams, this 16th century building warrants its title as probably the oldest shop in central London. It also fits perfectly the image of Charles Dickens’ creaking, half-timbered ‘Old Curiosity Shop’. While some doubt has been cast over the assumption that the shop was the inspiration behind Dickens’ novel of the same name, the building certainly does a very good job of convincing sceptics otherwise. At one time it functioned as a dairy on an estate given by King Charles II to one of his many mistresses. Made using the wood from old ships the building miraculously survived the flames of the Great Fire of 1666 and the bombs of Second World War. Still functioning as a shop (an upmarket men’s and women’s shoe boutique at the time of writing), the building’s future and architectural heritage is now protected by a preservation order. Dwarfed by more recent architectural constructions, the shop is often literally overlooked by tourists and locals alike but is worth seeking out if you’re in the area – especially if you need a new pair of shoes. Pay a visit after exploring Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the Inns of Court or John Soane’s Museum.

Best for:
Creaking floorboards, wooden beams, Charles II, Dickens and shoes.

Did you know?
Charles Dickens lived at Bloomsbury and knew the area surrounding the shop very well. He was known to have visited the shop on a number of occasions.
 

The Old Curiosity Shop images

The Old Curiosity Shop  

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The Old Curiosity Shop

The Old Curiosity Shop  

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Opening and closing times for The Old Curiosity Shop

Today (Sunday) The Old Curiosity Shop is closed.

Monday:

10.30
-
19.00
 
 

Tuesday:

10.30
-
19.00
 
 

Wednesday:

10.30
-
19.00
 
 

Thursday:

10.30
-
19.00
 
 

Friday:

10.30
-
19.00
 
 

Saturday:

10.30
-
19.00
 
 

Sunday:

Closed
 
 
 

Location map of The Old Curiosity Shop

LondonTown.com - The Old Curiosity Shop Location Map
Underground Stations

Underground Stations

 
Holborn Tube Station
 
4 minutes walk
 
Temple Tube Station
 
7 minutes walk
 
Railway Stations

Railway Stations

 
City Thameslink Station
 
14 minutes walk
 
 
Car Parks
 
THE BEST

Hotels near The Old Curiosity Shop

Near The Old Curiosity Shop
Club Quarters Lincoln's Inn Fields London
Club Quarters Lincoln's Inn Fields
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel  Petite Doubles: 59% off from £132
61 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A | 2 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Due to open on the 18th March 2012, Lincoln's Inn Fields is the 4th Club Quarters hotel in London. The hotel an ideal accommodation choice for ...More
 
 
 
Kingsway Hall Hotel London
Kingsway Hall Hotel
London > Hotels > Mid-Range Chain Hotel  Double Rooms: 75% off from £99
Great Queen Street, WC2B | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Well-equipped, comfortable rooms await guests to this elegantly modern hotel in the heart of Theatreland. Set yourself up for the day with a hearty breakfast or ...More
 
 
 
The Waldorf Hilton London
The Waldorf Hilton
London > Hotels > Luxury Chain Hotel  Double Rooms: 84% off from £144
Aldwych, WC2B4DD | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Positioned between the City’s Square Mile and the thriving West End, this grand, Edwardian Hilton hotel welcomes guests with a patisserie and champagne bar in the ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Alternative Shoes nearest The Old Curiosity Shop

Nearest to The Old Curiosity Shop
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Natural Shoe Store
London > Shopping > Shoes
21 Neal Street, Covent Garden, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 8 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
These are shoes that stay resolutely the same whatever the trends. The designs reflect the name, with comfort as the watchword - most are ergonomic and ...More
 
 
 
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Camper
London > Shopping > Shoes
39 Floral Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 8 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Exciting shoe design from Camper, both quirky and sensible and currently the epitome of cool footwear. ...More
 
 
 
Birkenstock London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Birkenstock
London > Shopping > Shoes
70 Neal Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 9 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Every summer, the London streets are ablaze with a rich array of sandals and flip-flops. Clumpy, frumpy and built for comfort, Birckenstock footwear has become fashionable ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Shopping near The Old Curiosity Shop

The best shops and markets near The Old Curiosity Shop
Charles Worthington London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Charles Worthington
London > Shopping > Hair and Grooming
28 Great Queen Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Service is a watchword at this salon, where clients are guaranteed a first-class hairdressing experience. Celebrity coiffeur Worthington personally trains all his staff and standards are ...More
 
 
 
Hope and Greenwood London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Hope and Greenwood
London > Shopping > Food and Drink Shops
1 Russell Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Excellent ice cream in the summer and a delicious-looking Christmas window in the winter are the kind of thing that make this candy shop a special ...More
 
 
 
Ede & Ravenscroft London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Ede & Ravenscroft
London > Shopping > Clothing
93 Chancery Lane, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 5 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Founded in Aldwych in 1689 Ede and Ravenscroft has the rare distinction of being the tailors and robe makers of choice for twelve coronations and holds ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Events near The Old Curiosity Shop

Near The Old Curiosity Shop
Party Hard Or Go Home!
London > Events > Clubbing and Nightlife  Dates: Sunday 27th May 2012 - 12midnight-3.30am
Zoo Bar, 13-17 Bear Street, WC2H | 13 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
...More
 
 
 
Leicester Square Re-opens London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Leicester Square Re-opens
London > Events > Exhibitions  Dates: 24th May, 25th May, 26th May and 27th May 2012
Leicester Square, Leicester Square, Soho, London WC2H | 14 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Leicester Square, home to London's film premieres, re-opens after a £15.5 million makeover and hosts a four day programme of free events from 24 to 27 ...More
 
 
 
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Sean Hughes: Life Becomes Noise
London > Events > Comedy  Dates: 28th April 2012 to 27th May 2012
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, South Bank, London SE1 | 15 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Sardonic Irish stand-up Sean Hughes brings his show Life Becomes Noise to this year's Udderbelly Festival. The youngest comic to win the prestigious Perrier Award, for ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Entertainment near The Old Curiosity Shop

Near The Old Curiosity Shop
Peacock Theatre London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Peacock Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Portugal Street, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 1 minute from The Old Curiosity Shop
This theatre is a major force on the national and international dance scene, with an innovative programme from Sadler's Wells that is keeping London's finger ...More
 
 
 
Theatre Royal Drury Lane London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Catherine Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
London's oldest theatre is also its most spectacular, with a palatial auditorium that is among the most impressive in the world. The first theatre on this ...More
 
 
 
Fortune Theatre London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Fortune Theatre
London > Entertainment > Theatres
Russell Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
The first theatre built after World War I is an astonishing piece of architecture. Built in 1922-4, it preceded the arrival of the Art Deco and ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Sights and Attractions near The Old Curiosity Shop

The best museums, galleries, attractions near The Old Curiosity Shop
Museums of the Royal College of Surgeons of England London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Museums of the Royal College of Surgeons of England
London > Attractions > Museums
Royal College of Surgeons, 35-43 Lincolns Inn Fields, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 1 minute from The Old Curiosity Shop
The home of the Royal College of Surgeons boasts a host of enlightening, permanent and temporary, galleries and exhibitions. Housed in the college, the Hunterian Museum ...More
 
 
 
Hunterian Museum London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Hunterian Museum
London > Attractions > Museums
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 1 minute from The Old Curiosity Shop
The Hunterian Museum within the Royal College of Surgeons boasts a host of enlightening, permanent and temporary, galleries and exhibitions. Housed in the college, the Hunterian ...More
 
 
 
Sir John Soane's Museum London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Sir John Soane's Museum
London > Attractions > Museums
13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 3 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
An appealingly higgledy-piggledy treasure trove of artefacts, the extraordinary Sir John Soane's Museum elegantly located on Lincoln's Inn Fields is well worth an exploratory rummage. Lurking ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Restaurants near The Old Curiosity Shop

What are the best dining options near The Old Curiosity Shop London?
The Terrace in the Fields London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
The Terrace in the Fields
London > Restaurants > British restaurants
Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 1 minute from The Old Curiosity Shop
Originally this eco-friendly blonde-wood barn was the club house/cafe for the tennis courts of Lincoln's Inn Fields, a picturesque old square in the city. If you ...More
 
 
 
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Pret A Manger
London > Restaurants > Cafes and Delis
29 Kingsway, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 2 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Pret sells up market fast food, hand made from natural ingredients, to take away or eat on site, in its trademark no nonsense chrome interiors. The ...More
 
 
 
Sarastro London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Sarastro
London > Restaurants > Turkish restaurants
126 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, , London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 3 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Ornate, opera-themed Turkish restaurant with unique opera-box style seating. One of Theatreland’s favourite restaurants, Sarastro must also rank highly as one of the capital’s most surreal ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Education near The Old Curiosity Shop

Near The Old Curiosity Shop
Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design
London > Education > Universities and Colleges
Southampton Row, London, Holborn, London WC1B | 7 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
One of the premier arts colleges in the world, St Martin's accepts only a few talented students each year, and is very well regarded in the ...More
 
 
 
Courtauld Institute of Art London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Courtauld Institute of Art
London > Education > Arts and Drama
Somerset House, London, Covent Garden, London WC2R | 7 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
The Courtauld is one of the most prestigious art schools in the country, affiliated with the Oxbridge system and boasting a huge private location and prime ...More
 
 
 
King's College Medical School London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
King's College Medical School
London > Education > Medical Schools
Strand, London, Covent Garden, London WC2R | 7 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Imperial College London is the foremost medical training faculty in the country but for non-medical graduates wishing for a change of career, King’s is the obvious ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Leisure near The Old Curiosity Shop

The Old Curiosity Shop gyms, sporting activities, health & beauty and fitness.
Lincoln's Inn Fields London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Lincoln's Inn Fields
London > Leisure > Parks and Gardens
Holborn, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
The largest public square in London, Lincoln's Inn Fields has a rich and varied history. In 1683 it was the site of the public beheading of ...More
 
 
 
The Sanctuary London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
The Sanctuary
London > Leisure > Fitness
12 Floral Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 8 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
This day spa exclusively for women is a total pampering experience from the minute you step through the door. Located in bustling Covent Garden you'll soon ...More
 
 
 
All Star Lanes, Bloomsbury London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
All Star Lanes, Bloomsbury
London > Leisure > Activities
Victoria House, Bloomsbury Place, London, Bloomsbury, London WC1B | 8 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
This fun bowling alley and restaurant is a great place for a gang of you to spend a memorable night out trying to out-do each other. ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Pubs near The Old Curiosity Shop

The best pubs near London The Old Curiosity Shop.
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
The Marquess of Anglesey
London > Restaurants > Gastropub
39 Bow Street, London, Covent Garden, London WC2E | 5 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Gastropub ...More
 
 
 
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Edgar Wallace
London > Nightlife > Pubs
40 Essex Street, London, Holborn, London WC2R | 6 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
...More
 
 
 
Cittie of Yorke London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Cittie of Yorke
London > Nightlife > Pubs
22 High Holborn, London, Holborn, London WC1V | 7 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Although the site of the Cittie of Yorke has been home to a public house since the 15th century, it has been housed in many different ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Nightlife near The Old Curiosity Shop

The Old Curiosity Shop clubs, bars, cabaret nights, casinos and interesting nightlife.
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Lowlander Beer Cafe
London > Nightlife > Bars
36 Drury Lane, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 5 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
The reputation of the Benelux breweries precedes them and this themed bar captures the flair of Dutch cafe culture too. The impressive row of shiny silver ...More
 
 
 
The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
The Lobby Bar at One Aldwych
London > Nightlife > Bars
1 Aldwych, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 5 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Named one of the top five hotel bars in the world by the Sunday Telegraph, the Lobby Bar at the chic One Aldwych hotel is renowned ...More
 
 
 
Detroit Bar London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Detroit Bar
London > Nightlife > Bars
35 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, London, Covent Garden, London WC2H | 9 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
Covent Garden "style" bar serving cocktails and a chilled out, trendy vibe. Considered to be one of London’s original “style” or “concept” bars, despite being on the ...More
 
 
 
THE BEST

Meeting venue hire near The Old Curiosity Shop

Where to have your meeting, conference, exhibition, private dining or training course near The Old Curiosity Shop.
Sir John Soane's Museum London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Sir John Soane's Museum
London > Business > Venue Hire
13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 3 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
An appealingly higgledy-piggledy treasure trove of artefacts, the extraordinary Sir John Soane's Museum elegantly located on Lincoln's Inn Fields is well worth an exploratory rummage. Lurking ...More
 
 
 
Grand Connaught Rooms London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Grand Connaught Rooms
London > Business > Venue Hire
61-65 Great Queen Street, Covent Garden, London, Covent Garden, London WC2B | 3 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
These elegant rooms, in the heart of Covent Garden, successfully combine tradition with some of the most high-tech facilities in the country, to provide a superb ...More
 
 
 
Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn London
Editor's Top Pick - Recommended
Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn
London > Business > Venue Hire
Treasury Office, London, Holborn, London WC2A | 4 minutes from The Old Curiosity Shop
...More
 
 
 
 

Also in Portsmouth Street

Our recommendations in the same street as The Old Curiosity Shop

 
No.
Title
Category
 
 
 

What's On Today

Near The Old Curiosity Shop

 
 
 
 
Forro
Clubbing and Nightlife | Until 27th May 2012 

Guanabara 6 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

DJs spin Brazilian, samba, African and indigenous rhythms....More

Samba Da Ressaca
Clubbing and Nightlife | Until 27th May 2012 

Guanabara 6 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

Brazilian beats from DJ Andre Carrara and DJ Bruno Camago, plus live music from Zeu Azevedo & Forrodaki Band....More

Pete's Piano Lounge
Concerts | Until 27th May 2012 

CellarDoor 6 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

The pianist plays jazz standards....More

Jumash Poulsen
Concerts | On 27th May 2012 

Pushkin House 8 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

Charity classical recital....More

Afternoon Tease!
Theatre | On 27th May 2012 

Volupte 8 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

Afternoon tea and a burlesque performance....More

Pause
Clubbing and Nightlife | Until 27th May 2012 

The Den and Centro 9 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

Resident DJs spin house, disco, hip hop, chart, funk and Latin....More

Minn Diarabi, Djala & The White Tiger Society
Concerts | On 27th May 2012 

The Africa Centre 9 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

World blues and Afrobeat by the London-based band....More

The City Of London Symphonic Winds
Concerts | On 27th May 2012 

St Paul's Covent Garden 10 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

The group performs Ellerby's New World Dances, Grainger's Molly On The Shore, Bennett's Reflections On A 16th Century Tune, Holst's ...More

Museum Reporter: Workshop (Over 7s)
Kids Events | On 27th May 2012 

British Museum 11 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

Follow clues and instructions and film news reports....More

Sunday at Salsa!
Clubbing and Nightlife | Until 27th May 2012 

Salsa! 12 minutes walk from The Old Curiosity Shop

The Latin Brotherz spin salsa and Latin, plus live percussion....More

SALE
Hotels near The Old Curiosity Shop

From cheap budget hotels to luxury 5 star suites see our discounts for The Old Curiosity Shop hotels, including Club Quarters Lincoln's Inn Fields from 59% off.