"The alley is one of the ancient alignments, appearing in the middle of the 1600s, and although the area changed a lot over the centuries, it remained very much a cluster of smaller buildings surrounding the alley. Until WWII, when a bomb flattened the entire site. It turns out that the alley was culverted for a couple of decades as a large 1950s building, known as Oyez House, which housed the printing works, storage, and offices for the Solicitors' Law Stationery Society."
"It's since been demolished and replaced with a modern office building, thereby enhancing the alley as well. The corner of the alley is now marked by a blue-glazed faïence tiled building, replacing the old White Swan pub that used to be in the middle of the plot. They also substantially widened the alley along the pub's side to create more space for standing outside when the weather is nice, or people need a smoke."
The alley originated in the mid-1600s and remained a cluster of small buildings despite centuries of change. WWII bombing flattened the entire site, after which a large 1950s building called Oyez House covered the alignment and housed printing works, storage, and Solicitors' Law Stationery Society offices. The alley was reinstated in the 1970s when the office was split. The northern side was rebuilt earlier and the southern 1950s block was demolished recently and replaced with a modern office, improving the alley. Blue-glazed faience tiles and embossed printer's marks record the heritage of former pubs that once stood there.
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