Saracen's Head, London
The Saracen's Head was an inn on the north side of the street to the west of the church of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate in Snow Hill, London. When Sarah Ann Mountain was in charge they made stagecoaches here and fifteen of them left each day for destinations including Birmingham and Leeds. History The inn dated from the Middle Ages, when it was a coaching inn. The origins of the name, "Saracen's Head", are uncertain. It became a popular stop for mail coaches approaching the City of London as it provided a place for passengers to rest. It featured a large gateway that led into a courtyard with numerous galleries leading into individual bedrooms. In 1522, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, stayed at the inn, by which time it had 30 beds and could stable four horses. Samuel Pepys and Jonathan Swift were reported to be regular patrons at the inn. In the 18th century, the Mohocks kidnapped several elderly women at the inn, trapped them in barrels, and rolled them downhill towards Newgate Street. During the 19th century, there were three signs on each side of the inn with a picture of a Saracen. Butler William Mountain and his wife Sarah