It is said to date from Tudor times, and was drawn like this in 1886. The story goes that City of London apprentices would traditionally be rowed to this inn to celebrate their annual holiday or to mark the end of their apprenticeship and attainment of journeyman status.
A distinctive feature of the building is the first floor Oriel window. It came from another 18th century building and was added to the London Apprentice in 1905.
The pub's name may come from from an old ballad, that recounts how an apprentice from London claimed the daughter of the King of Turkey as his bride.