Hi,

Well, I can see how some people like the mystery of the song, but personally I like to know what I'm singing. Well, I guess I like the mystery too, in that it invites me to learn more about it. What I now learned more about it is that there is an article on the Eric Burton website on last year's find. Although the Rising Sun they were investigating had been in operation from 1808 to 1822, in the article it says that the name "The RIsing Sun" had been in use for two centuries.
I'm not sure two centuries starting from when, but it could be 1808-2005, suggesting that this was actually the first known Rising Sun in New Orleans. But regardless, it explains why several people have histories of establishments the Rising Sun: There have indeed been several of those. As a result, for the song it's not enough to find a(!) house called The Rising Sun, and it might not even be enough to find a(!) house of ill repute by that name. One would need other clues from the older lyrics that could identify a time or building.

The name is quite common for pubs in England, BTW, and London's no exception. Any websearch for London Pub Rising Sun ought to give the curious several addresses.
                                        Mysha