Britain's oldest pubs | CNN Travel Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem , Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham; +44 115 947 3171 Nearby: Nottingham Castle , with museum and cave tours; Sherwood Forest. Old Ferry Boat, Holywell, St Ives This riverside thatched-roofed hostelry in rural Cambridgeshire claims to be England’s oldest pub -- it certainly looks the part. An inn supposedly stood on the site as long ago as 560, but the evidence is about as substantial as the Old Ferry Boat’s supernatural inhabitant -- the pub is said to receive an annual visit from the ghost of a lovelorn teenage girl who hanged herself and was buried in unconsecrated ground beneath the inn floor. A more reliable foundation date of 1400 relates to the current premises. Old Ferry Boat , Holywell, St Ives, Cambridgeshire; +44 1480 463 22 Nearby: City of Cambridge PIC; Cambridgeshire Fenlands PIC.

The Bingley Arms, Leeds Monk-warmer, aka the Bingley Arms' fireplace.Follow a monk, historically speaking, and you’ll find somewhere to drink. Some date the origin of the Bingley Arms to as long ago as 953. Known then as The Priests Inn, it first served as a rest house for monks staggering -- sorry, traveling -- between abbeys in Leeds and York. Clergymen had it tougher a few centuries later -- the 16th century holes found in the pub’s chimney were used to conceal Catholic priests on the run from Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries campaign. Today pub-goers can enjoy a good pint of ale by the fireplace, instead of hiding up it. Bingley Arms Church Lane, Bardsey, Leeds; +44 1937 572 462 Nearby: Yorkshire Dales ; shopping in Leeds ; historic York . Porch House, Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire Once a workhouse, now -- thankfully -- a pub.The newest of the oldest pubs in a sense, the refurbished Porch House only opened in its current guise in September of this year.

However, the pub has had several incarnations (or should that be inn-carnations) over the centuries. “Parts of the Porch House building are said to date to AD947. “It’s also been a family home and a hospice over the years. “It almost became a workhouse too, but nothing came of the plans in the 1700s.” Porch House , Digbeth Street, Stow-on-the-Wold; +44 1451 870 048 Nearby: The heart of the Cotswolds . Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, St Albans A regular? Well, he may have drunk at Ye Olde Cocks at least once.This hostelry traces its origins as far back as 793 -- the property having had numerous incarnations since then. Part of the present pub is a striking freestanding octagonal dovecote, built in the 11th century before being moved to its current location in 1539. Once again, inventive monks with alcohol on their minds feature heavily in the story, with tunnels connecting the beer cellar and St Albans Cathedral.

The name, however, only came into being in the 19th century, when cock-fighting was a regular pastime. However the evidence stacks up, any inn that can boast Oliver Cromwell as a past guest surely deserves its place in any olde pub chronicles. Ye Olde Fighting Cocks , 16 Abbey Mill Lane, St.Albans; +44 1727 869 152 Nearby: St Albans Cathedral ; Verulamium Museum (Roman museum). The Skirrid Mountain Inn, near Abergavenny, Wales The Skirrid's "hanging beam," helpfully reproduced for visitors.Reputed to be the oldest continuously running pub in Wales, evidence suggests there was an inn on the site as far back as the era of the 11th-century Norman Conquest. Many people who could verify that claim were no doubt put to the sword, but what is certain is the pub’s reputation for its spirits -- of both varieties. Regarding the supernatural sort, the pub’s first floor was once used as a courtroom, with hangings carried out from an oak beam above the staircase.

Over the years a number of paranormal activities have been investigated -- including sightings of the ghost of the “Hanging Judge.” Some blame those on the other in-house spirits, though. Skirrid Mountain Inn , Llanvihangel, Crucorney, Monmouthshire; +44 1873 890 258 Nearby: Brecon Beacons National Park . The Sheep Heid Inn, Edinburgh Skittles at the Sheep Heid (rhymes with seed).“There’s been a pub on this site since 1360, which makes it the oldest established public house in Scotland,” says the Sheep Heid Inn’s self-styled cultural attaché -- aka manager -- Simon Walton. It may be officially in the big city of Edinburgh, but the Sheep Heid is definitely a village pub. It’s the focal point of Duddingston, which “still exists as a community of 72 properties on the east side of Holyrood Park -- the Queen’s back garden,” Walton says. The oldest surviving authentic bar skittles board in Scotland adds to its venerable reputation.

Sheep Heid Inn , 43-45 The Causeway, Edinburgh; +44 131 6617974 Nearby: Duddingston Loch ; Holyrood Park . George Inn, Southwark "Got to pick a pocket or two" ... "Oliver Twist" performed in the George Inn yard in 1936.If Britain’s oldest pubs are slugging it out, surely some impressive London contenders are due in the ring. In fact, pubs in the British capital tend to be comparative young’uns. There’s a good reason for that -- the Great Fire, which burned much of the city to the ground in 1666. The George Inn’s locations south of the river protected it from that inferno but it still ended up being incinerated 10 years later. The rebuilt property stands today as London’s last remaining galleried coaching inn.

Call in for a beer here and you’ll be joining an illustrious list of prior patrons; Charles Dickens is said to have supped here in the 19th century, which led to the George getting a mention in "Little Dorrit." George Inn , 5-77 Borough High St, London; +44 207 407 2056 Nearby: Shakespeare’s Globe , Borough Market . Like the best pub arguments, the solution to which is Britain's oldest pub is about as transparent as a pint of stout. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem -- having been continuously a “pub” for a very long time -- has perhaps the strongest claim but let us know if you’ve stumbled across even older inns. Cheers! Oldest Inn in Britain There is much debate over which is the oldest inn in Britain with the Guinness Book of World Records listing 'Ye Olde Fighting Cocks' in St. Albans as the oldest, however there are numerous inns which also claim the record. The Fat Badgers can't claim to know the answer to this one but we do know that the criteria differs dependent on your viewpoint.

So, is it the oldest building or the longest serving which should be classed as the oldest ? Well who knows if the longest serving had a period when it ceased trading and should the site of a former mud hut in a Saxon settlement which reopens as a pub in 1957 be included in the list ? Certainly, if age of the building structure is the sole qualifying fact then the oldest is without doubt, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem as the rock face which forms part of the inn is 143 million years old ! Well our favourite is the Old Ferryboat at St. Ives but you may think differently. There are about 20 inns which claim to be the oldest and we believe the Clachan Inn is the oldest in Scotland (although the Ship Inn in Perth claims to date back to 1665 - Thanks to John Symon for letting us know) with the Skirrid being the oldest in Wales. Those with probably the best claims are listed below. THE SKIRRID MOUNTAIN INN Abergavenny, Monmouthshire First listed as a pub in legal chronicles in 1110, the Skirrids leaded windows look out over the Black Mountains.

Once apparently used by the warrior prince Owen Glendower to saddle up before leading his men into battle against the English in the 1400s. Wall to wall flagstones, beams and a log fire all help to give a feeling of age which is complimented with good ales & food. The Skirrid was a courthouse many years ago where sheep rustlers were hanged for their crimes. THE CLACHAN INN Drymen, Loch Lomond The Clachan sits on a corner of the pleasant village green and claims to have had Rob Roys sister as a former landlady. Fraoch, a heather-based brew made from a 4,000-year-old Pictish recipe is served. A plaque by the door states Licensed in 1734 but details of its time before remain a mystery. THE BINGLEY ARMS Bardsey, Leeds Typical Yorkshire stone inn dating back to 1780 but previously known as The Priest's Inn where like many UK inns, the pub was used as the local court.

Set in a pretty village, the local church records first mention the pub in 905 and indeed the inn itself has records dating the central part of the building back to 953. Now, the Bingley Arms is popular for its excellent quality meals. YE OLDE TRIP TO JERUSALEM Nottingham Very well known inn built into the rock face under Nottingham Castle in the city centre. Documents exist that prove a castle brewhouse occupied the site before 1189, but further proof is not available. Trip originally meant resting place, and the pub purports to be a travel lodge where crusaders drew breath before heading off to slay Saracens. The year 1189 is mentioned the date Richard I became king. THE OLD FERRYBOAT INN Holywell, Cambridgeshire Located on the bank of the River Ouse, the Ferryboat boasts a thatched roof and a well-kept garden. Archeological digs have suggested that the Ferryboats foundations may date back to 460 and records show that liquor was served as early as 560. The upper storeys were however rebuilt after a fire.

In the lounge lies the grave of Juliet Tewsley, a young woman who took her own life after being rejected by a local woodcutter, Thomas Roul. She apparently reappears every March 17. YE OLDE FIGHTING COCKS St Albans, Hertfordshire Located alongside the River Ver, in the shadow of the wonderful St. Albans abbey, the Fighting Cocks has one of the strongest claims to be the oldest. Cockfighting was banned long ago, but the original pit is now one of the bars. Originally a medieval dovecote, but with documents that seem to prove that a pub stood here in 795. Some believe its the oldest true pub, as opposed to a tavern or inn with accommodation. It's also believed that Oliver Cromwell kept his horse in the bar when he stayed here. THE EAGLE AND CHILD Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire Part of The Royalist Hotel, which claims to be the oldest hotel in the country. However, some believe that the pubs 16 years of closure invalidate the claim. The Eagle and Child Inn's name derives from Sir John Stanley in the 14th century.

The inn has a tunnel that leads from the bar to the church across the street - there is also evidence of a bear pit. Still visible in the rooms are the witches' marks, an ancient frieze and the thousand-year-old timbers. Some Evidence even suggests that The Royalist began as part of a Saxon community as long ago as 514. YE OLDE MAN & SCYTHE Bolton, Lancashire This public house dates back to 1251, the date of the charter permitting a market, which was held in the area very close to this building. Only the vaulted cellar dates back as far, a datestone inside the building shows 1636 as a rebuilding date, and some of the internal beams and features are original from this time. There is a chair hanging in one room with the inscription "15th October 1651 In this chair James 7th Earl of Derby sat at the Man and Scythe Inn, Churchgate, Bolton immediately prior to his execution." He was apparently taken outside and executed for his part in the Civil War. Is oldest Inn or Pub in England in Nottingham Copyright © 2017.

All Rights Reserved Web design by 250 Marketing COOKIES are used by this site in accordance with standard Google Analytics procedures. Use of this site assumes agreement with cookie use. *Disclaimer: All details shown on this site were correct at time of publishing but subject to change without notice. All events attended at client’s risk, no liability accepted. Does Nottingham Really Have The Oldest Inn in England? Copyright Dr. David Cross, all rights reserved, loaded to website 16th September 2012. Our thanks to Mark Dennison of BBC Radio Nottingham for discussing this issue with the author on his show on Tuesday 16th October 2012. See Dr. David Cross discussing this research on notts tv on the ‘6.30 Show’ on 12th June 2015. Introduction Nottingham has three pubs which have variously claimed in recent decades to be 'the oldest Inn in England' – The Bell on Angel Row, The Salutation on Hounds Gate and The Trip to Jerusalem in Brewhouse Yard (at the foot of castle rock), the latter two having been the most active in their claims (4), (5), (6), (7).

In 1998 Tony Robinson, of TV's Channel 4 program 'Time Team' fame, filmed an episode of an offshoot series, 'History Hunters', to investigate this very question (8). The Trip (as it is locally known) has had this claim boldly painted in large letters on it's exterior walls since at least 1937 (3), (7). While many claims have been made, commonly little or no evidence has been offered to support them (9), (10), (11). This current Article seeks to present the referenced facts, in order for a considered judgement to be made on the claims of these various pubs to be 'the oldest'. Defining 'the oldest inn' We adopt here the following definition, as derived in Appendix : “The oldest building which is currently a pub (or Inn) and has the oldest history of being a pub (or Inn), where a significant part of the original above-ground structure still exists as part of the existing building”. While it is difficult enough to find historical evidence for the existence of a given building, it is far more difficult to establish the use of any centuries-old building from reliable documentary sources. This article therefore focusses primarily on evidence for building age.

The Nottingham Claimants Angel Row (off Market Square), Nottingham The Claims The Bell has painted on its exterior the claim 'the oldest Inn in Nottingham' with a date of 1437 AD. The pub's website however makes no such claim (11). One source (12), which is no longer available, described how the building had originally been two separate buildings – a pub called 'The Angel' on the left (as you look at the current pub front from the street) and another pub called 'The Bell' on the right, with the current doorway marking the original alleyway between the two buildings. This was said to be shortly after the outbreak of Bubonic plague in 1349. If this is true, much rebuilding work has been carried out since, so that whatever might be left of these original two buildings (if anything) is now merged into the current structure. The name 'The Bell' (and presumably also 'The Angel') is said to derive from the Angelus bell associated with a Carmelite Friary said to have been established on nearby Friar Lane in the late 1200's (13).

The first written historical record of the pub is said to be 1638 (12), (13) although the building is thought to be much older than this date. One internet source (13) gives a date of 'around 1420' for the original construction of The Bell derived from Dendrochronology (dating of timber by tree-ring evidence), but this work is not referenced and this date is probably slightly in error (see below). This same source suggests that the original building was a refectory for one of the nearby religious establishments, but no evidence is given for this. The Bell has extensive caves beneath it, many of the accessible, upper ones being used as the pub cellars. The age of these caves is not known, although 'Norman' origins have been claimed (with no evidence given) (11). The Evidence Dendrochronology (19) provides a date for timber, based on a study of the tree-ring data from a core sample extracted from the wood. An expert dendrochronologist will sample the most appropriate timbers of a building for testing. In the absence of written historical records this can provide possibly the most accurate date for a structure.

A study published in 1996 from the Nottingham University Tree-ring Dating Laboratory (14) gave a date range of 1432 to 1442 for timbers from The Bell. This date range is a fairly typical dendrochronology result, with any date in the range being as likely as another, and with a reliability for this date range of 99% (15). The date claimed by The Bell and painted on the front of the building is 1437, which is the mid-point of this date range and is therefore a reasonable claim (as every date in the range 1432 to 1442 AD is as likely as one another, they could equally well claim the oldest date of 1432). The website for the History Hunters program (20) describes the oldest documentary evidence for the building as being from the court rolls for 1641-89 for properties in Angel Row, where there is an entry for The Bell from 1647. From the dendrochronology dating, it appears fairly certain that the oldest parts of the current Bell Inn date from between 1432 and 1442 AD.

Earliest Use as an Inn The earliest documentary evidence for use of the building as an Inn (or indeed for the building itself) is 1638. The Will of Robert Sherwin from this year “bequeathed the revenues of a half-part of this inn to be divided amongst the three parishes of Nottingham” (27). An earlier reference quoted above (12) suggested that the current building evolved from two adjacent earlier pubs from perhaps the late 1300's, although no documentary evidence for this is given. The 1638 reference would seem ample to merit inclusion as a contender for the 'oldest inn' in the definition given above. The Salutation Inn, Hounds Gate, Nottingham The Claims The date 1240 AD has been painted on the building exterior since at least the mid-1950's (16) and the pub's own website claims this date for the current building, also stating that it was then a leather tannery, with living accommodation above for the tanner (9).

A past landlord claimed that the 1240 date, or an even earlier date of 1210, related not to the current building but a previous building on the same site, also said to be a tannery (5). As the Salutation name is thought to have a religious origin, possible connections to a nearby early medieval monastery have been suggested (9). The excellent (and publicly accessible) cave system beneath the Salutation was investigated in 1937 by The Thoroton Excavating Section (later becoming the Nottingham Archaeological Society (30)). They attributed the cave system to the Saxon era (i.e. pre-Norman conquest) (31). Dates of 500 AD (32), (33) and 800 AD (34), (35) have been given for the caves, but no good evidence is known. The Evidence Only a small part of the current building would be claimed to date from the medieval period, as the southern-most parts of the current building (facing St Nicholas Street) are brick-built and obviously of a much later era. The currently white-painted north side of the building (bordering Hounds Gate) is again only partly original.

The north-western corner of the building (nearest Maid Marian Way) was rebuilt around 1960, when adjacent buildings to the west on Hounds Gate were demolished for construction of the current Maid Marian Way road (17). There is nevertheless enough remaining of the original structure to easily meet the definition suggested in Appendix 1. Dendrochronology dating was carried out on timbers from The Salutation in 1992 but this work has never been published (18). The author was advised verbally in 2000 by a previous landlord that the date found was 1441 and this specific date (in this case, dating was possible to a particular year, rather than a date range) was confirmed for this article by Robert Howard, of the Nottingham Tree-Ring Dating Laboaratory, who carried out the dating work (29). (Two newspaper articles from 1992 give this same date (4), (6), although a third (5) gives a different date of 1432, which confuses an 'outer ring' date with the true date of the sample).

The History Hunters website (21) gives a date for the dendrochronology of 1440, and one of the program's experts, Dr Philip Dixon, Reader in Medieval Archaeology at the University of Nottingham, advised that the building's crown post roof 'would have a date no later than 1450'. Claimed documentary evidence for a building on the site from 1240 has not been confirmed by research for this article, but it would seem from the above evidence that this would be a previous structure and not any part of the current building. The above evidence would suggest that the oldest timbers of The Salutation are contemporaneous with the oldest timbers of The Bell - between 1432 and 1442. Earliest Use as an Inn The History Hunters research (8) showed the earliest documentary evidence for the use of the current building as an Inn to date back to 1725, when fire insurance records show that a Samuel Hudson was the landlord.

On the same website (8) “The Salutation's own version of it's history” section states that the building was a pub during the English Civil War (1642-1649) and had to change it's name to 'The Soldier and Citizen' to placate the puritan victors, but no evidence is given for this claim. This same source suggests that the earlier building on this site in 1414 was “a hostel for weary travellers and journeymen” - or in other words, a pub or Inn. Again, no evidence is given, but this gives some support to use of the site (but perhaps not the current building) as a pub in antiquity. The Trip to Jerusalem Inn, Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham The Claims As noted above, 'The Trip' has had the claim “the oldest Inn in England” painted on it's walls for at least 75 years (3), (7). The pub's website has the bold title: “We are the oldest Inn in England – and that's a fact!” (22). The current website also however states that the current building is no older than 1650 to 1660 (23).

The Trip's main claim to being 'the oldest' would seem to be based on the likelihood that it stands on the site of the original brew house for Nottingham Castle. Many of the rear elevations of the current building are comprised of natural sandstone rock, and these are claimed to be the walls of caves cut into the rock face and thought to date back to shortly after the founding of the Castle in 1067. These caves are claimed to have been the brew house for the Castle (10). The Evidence Perhaps the most interesting evidence in the case of The Trip is John Speed's map (24) of 1610, which shows no buildings on the current site of The Trip. The 1650-1660 date would therefore fit with this observation. The original medieval Nottingham Castle was destroyed in 1651 shortly after the end of the Civil War (26), so that a new building around this time at the very foot of the Castle rock would seem quite possible. The History Hunters website (8) gives a dendrochronology date of 1585 attributed to Robert Howard (15).

When contacted by the author however, Mr Howard was unable to verify this or any other dendrochronology date for this building, advising that no samples had been obtained which were good enough for reliable dating (25). The History Hunters website also states that no archaeological evidence has been found at this location for buildings from before the 1600's, and that the team were unable to find any evidence in documents relating to the area from the 1200's about either a brew house or an Inn. The oldest documentary evidence found by the History Hunters team for a building on this site appeared to date back to 1688. Earliest Use an an Inn The earliest documentary evidence from the History Hunters research (8) in 1688 mentioned above was a probate inventory for a George Thorpe. This mentions brewing materials and it is therefore assumed that the building was in use as a brew house or a pub at this time, some 20 to 30 years after it was built. In 1760 the building was specifically recorded as a pub by the name of The Pilgrim, this being changed by 1799 to the current name of the Trip to Jerusalem (28).

Oldest Inns From The Rest of England A comprehensive investigation of the claims for the many pubs throughout England claiming to be the 'oldest' would be an extensive task indeed and is outside the scope of this article. Our principal aim is to answer the question – is there likely to be an older pub in England outside Nottingham, than within the City? The first point of reference for most 'records' (in terms of the oldest, biggest, fastest, etc.) is usually 'Guinness World Records' (known up to 2000 as the 'Guinness Book of Records' (36)). The last entry for 'the oldest pub in England' was in the 1997 edition (37), under 'Buildings for Leisure>Bars & Public Houses>Oldest pubs'. This short section did not give a definitive 'oldest pub' but advised the following: The Fighting Cocks, St. Albans, Hertfordshire – building dates from the 1000's (11th century) on a site developed from the 700's (8th century).

The Royalist Hotel, Stow on the Wold, Gloucestershire – building dates to 947 AD and was a pub called 'The Eagle and Child' in the 1200's (13th century). Ye Olde Ferry Boat Inn, Holywell, (nr. Huntingdon) Cambridgeshire – building dates from 1100 AD. The Bingley Arms, Bardsey, West Yorkshire – the building was 'The Priest's Inn' in 905 AD. Precisely what investigations The Guinness Book of Records carried out to verify these claims is unclear (37), but it is assumed that some degree of sound evidence would have been required for inclusion in this publication. The Fighting Cocks, St. Albans, has some unreferenced information on its own website (38) with enquiries directly to the pub revealing no further information (39). A considerable part of the building's apparently medieval octagonal structure is still evident, the shape being claimed to derive from its original purpose of a dovecote (38).

The Royalist Hotel, Stow on the Wold, appears to be largely a more modern structure from the outside views, although the adjoining Eagle and Child pub appears medieval. Again, scant detail appears on the pub's website with no historical references (40). Ye Olde Ferry Boat Inn, Holywell, has very little historical detail on it's website (41) and enquiries directly to the pub revealed nothing further (42). The Bingley Arms, Bardsey, claims on it's website (43) that: “… the pub is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest in Britain”, which is not an accurate reflection of the Guinness Book of Records entry. The website further claims a 'known history' back to 953 AD, with a possible origin of 905 AD, but with no supporting references. None of these buildings have any dendrochronology dating published on the Vernacular Architecture Group (VAG) website (14). No doubt many more English pubs could be added to this list of claimants.

CONCLUSION Based on the above evidence, it can be seen that Nottingham's Trip to Jerusalem, the City's most voluble claimant to be the oldest Inn in England, is around 220 years younger than The Bell or The Salutation (in terms of age of the buildings). The Salutation and The Bell both appear to date from the same period (1441 for the Salutation, anywhere between 1432 and 1442 for The Bell). If any claim can be made on the basis of building age, The Bell and The Salutation must be considered as the 'joint oldest' Inns in Nottingham. The dates for evidence of use of the buildings as an Inn shows that all 3 were in use as a pub around 300 years ago, and probably much earlier, but evidence is so lacking that no definitive claim can be made on this basis. If claims are to be made on the basis of underlying caves, then The Salutation could probably claim the oldest in terms of age, although The Trip may have the edge in terms of probable use involving beer.

However, in the absence of any hard evidence for even the age, let alone the use, of all of these caves, all such claims must remain anecdotal. The claims for building age of all four of the pubs from elsewhere in England, given in the 1997 Guinness Book of Records, pre-date the oldest Nottingham claimant by around 300 to 500 years, and by a similar huge margin based on building use. While the evidence for these four Guinness Book of Records claimants has not been verified for this article, their claims do indicate that it appears unlikely that any of Nottingham's three claimants could claim the title of the 'oldest pub in England', on any basis. Nottingham could perhaps claim to have the most active claimants for 'the oldest Inn in England' – where else has had an historical TV program dedicated to this very claim? The Salutation could probably claim to be the medieval pub with the most extensive underlying cave system which is easily accessible to the public (a fantastic local tourist attraction).

The Trip might claim to be the most active national claimant for the title of 'oldest Inn in England', or the most atmospheric pub in England, with its rear elevation being cut out of the solid rock on which Nottingham Castle is built, or perhaps the oldest rock-walled pub with a haunted galleon(44). Whatever views are taken based on the above evidence, Nottingham can certainly claim some of the most historic and well-worth-visiting pubs in England! ('and that's a fact'). Nottingham, home to the oldest pub in England Nottingham, home to the oldest pub in England by SteveRogerson There are three pubs in Nottingham that claim to be the oldest in England, but which is telling the truth? Nottingham in the heart of England is the home of England's oldest pub. However, three of the city's bars claim that title as their own, but only one can be correct. Steve Rogerson looks at the competing claims of Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Salutation and The Bell. Perhaps it is best to play safe and visit all three. If you visit Nottingham, you have a chance to drink in the oldest pub in England.

The snag, if it can be called a snag, will be that three pints in different pubs are necessary to achieve this. For, you see, there are three pubs in Nottingham claiming to be the oldest pub in England, and all with some justification. They are Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Salutation and The Bell Inn. Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Photo by Steve Rogerson Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem A good place to start is Ye Olde Trip, built into the cliff walls that support Nottingham Castle. This was once the brewhouse for the original castle (knocked down years ago and replaced by a stately home looking building that houses a museum and art gallery) and proudly boasts on its walls “the oldest inn in England”. If asked, they will claim the name dates back to the crusades. In fact, the name is relatively recent as the pub used to be called The Pilgrim. Don’t let that put you off though, because it is a delightful pub with excellent beer. Make sure you visit the upstairs bar where you will see the pub is actually dug into the walls of the cliff; it is like drinking in a cave.

The Salutation Photo by Steve Rogerson The Salutation The next stop is The Salutation on Maid Marion Way, definitely not a pub for the faint-hearted, because it is haunted. Apparently, spirits have been spotted by regulars over the years, but what is not recorded is how many spirits of another kind said regulars have to consume first. The most famous ghost is an urchin child called Rosie who hangs around in the caves underneath the pub. If you are lucky, there might be trips to caves while you are there, in which case pop down and have a look. Otherwise, stay up top and sample their ales. The Bell in its yellow days Photo by Steve Rogerson The Bell Finally, to Angel Row just off the Old Market Square for The Bell, another pub with caves underneath. Once you couldn’t miss The Bell because it was yellow. The paint job was done in 2004 to make it look like it would have done in the days when it was built. This got a plaudit from one council department for bringing a bit of history back to the city and a telling off from another for not fitting in with the look of the square.

Common sense initially prevailed and it stayed yellow, but now it is back to being white. This is an old coaching inn and inside there are small rooms and a large room at the back. It feels like a traditional pub and the beer is always well kept. Which is the oldest? But which of the three is the oldest? All three have dates painted on the outside wall. If these are true, Ye Olde Trip wins easily with 1189 – The Salutation can only manage 1240 and The Bell 1437. However, it is one thing to paint a date on a wall, it is another to prove that the date has some validity. A few years ago, British TV channel Channel Four as part of its History Hunters series ran a competition for the three pubs to find documentary evidence to prove their claims. Ye Olde Trip went from best to worse, as it could only show pub status from 1760, though it could make a claim for the existence of the brewhouse for much earlier. The Salutation managed to prove there was a building on the site as early as 1415 but could only show it was a pub from 1725.

Which left The Bell as the winner with 1638. The other two still dispute this. BBC - Nottingham - History - The oldest inn in England? You are in: Nottingham > History > Local history > The oldest inn in England? The Trip by Kevin Lockhart The oldest inn in England? Mark Andrew Pardoe Did Richard I and the crusaders stop off at The Trip for a pint before heading to the Holy Land? The Trip has an old and venerable history which, as can be seen by the date on its outside wall, it claims goes back to 1189. It is difficult to verify this date especially as there is photographic proof that its wall once displayed 1199 as the pubs establishing date. However, the Trip does claim to be the oldest inn in the world. Have a 360 view of The Trip to Jerusalem > There are, of course, other claimants around England for that title but as some cannot equal the date of Nottingham’s second oldest pub, the Salutation, of 1240, I will leave it to you to comment on the truth.

The one notable thing about 1189 is that it is the date of King Richard I’s accession to the throne and this is where the legend begins. We are told the Trip to Jerusalem is so called because the Crusaders, if not Lion-hearted Richard himself, dropped off there to grab a quick pint of Kimberley Mild on the way to rid the Holy Land of the heathens. This may be so, although Richard spent little time in England. Castle Rock In fact the word "trip" does not mean a journey in this case. The Trip at night by Jon Speed An old meaning for trip is a stop on a journey, like being tripped up, so the inn’s name means a stop or rest on the way to Jerusalem. This would seem to give a greater credence for the theory of imbibing carriers of the cross stopping here. Does history actually bear this out? Well nearly. Early maps of Nottingham do not show any buildings in the vicinity of the Trip’s site but that is no obstacle. It must be remembered people were living in the caves of what is now the Castle Rock even before the Saxons populated the present Lace Market. Therefore we can take it the Castle Rock’s caves were in use after the castle was built.

I suggest the caves were being used as the castle’s brewhouse in the 12th century. Some people would point out it was very odd the castle’s most essential service was taking place outside its walls but there was a steady supply of water from the River Leen at the bottom of the rock. Perhaps further evidence can be found in the area’s name of Brewhouse Yard but, of course, this may be of a much later date taking its derivation from the Trip and its now demolished neighbour, the Gate Hangs Well. There is also some evidence the Trip has a former name of the Pilgrim - someone else who would be making his/her way to the Holy Land. So who’s to say the Crusaders did not stop, or trip, on their way to Jerusalem? Mark Andrew Pardoe 2001

Question: Which pub in Nottingham claims to be the oldest in Britain?
Answer: The Trip To Jerusalem