British Food and Travel

The pub is the heart of many a community around the British Isles, serving as a social centre for locals. So the news that many can reopen within the next few weeks after the coronavirus pandemic is welcome news indeed. In this post, we continue from Part 1, looking at 9 more of Britain’s historic pubs.

Prospect of Whitby, London

For centuries, the River Thames has teemed with traffic, trade, and travellers, and The Prospect of Whitby, the country’s oldest riverside pub, has provided many of them with refreshment. Opening its doors in 1520, the pub has undergone several name changes over the years. It was once known as The Pelican. Later, its reputation for smugglers and men of dubious character gave rise to a namechange – The Devil’s Tavern. The notorious Hanging Judge Jeffreys also lived a short distance from here and frequented the pub when not in Wales (see The Skirrid Inn below). It has had some notable, and more respectable, customers; Charles Dickens and Samuel Pepys both drank here. Visitors can still see many original features of the pub, including the pewter-topped bar and flagstone floor. Enjoy a pint and river views while knowing you are supping where pirates once plotted.

The Prospect of Whitby is located at 57 Wapping Wall, Wapping. Check website for current hours.

The Skirrid Mountain Inn,

If you want to visit The Skirrid Inn, reputedly the oldest in Wales, you will need to make your way to the tiny village of Llanfihangel Crucorney, just north of Abergavenny. Many claims have been made about the inn, including that it has been the site of a licensed premises since 1110. Sadly, some of the claims are rather apocryphal with little hard proof. Nevertheless, if true, The Skirrid Inn has a rich history. The current building dates to the 17th Century, which was the time of Hanging Judge Jeffreys (him again!) The inn served as a local courthouse and execution site for all sorts of criminals. And their spirits may still haunt the premises.

The Skirrid Mountain Inn is located in the village of Llanfihangel Crucorney, 4 miles north of Abergavenny. The pub does not have a website. For more information call (01873) 890258.

Royal Standard of England, Beaconsfield

You know that a place has some serious historical street-cred when it was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. The Royal Standard of England’s claim to be the oldest freehouse in England is pretty strong, given that the alehouse, then named The Ship Inn, was indeed documented in the manuscript ordered by William the Conqueror. It’s current name is thanks to King Charles II aand his philandering ways. The pub was a favourite spot to meet his mistresses, and he allowed the landlord to change the name. More recently, The Royal Standard has featured in a number of television shows nd films, including The Theory of Everything, Hot Fuzz, and Midsomer Murders. Stop by to enjoy the decor, learn the pub’s history, and dine on some of their Midsomer Murders Resurrection Pie!

The Royal Standard of England is located at Forty Green, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Check website for hours.

Ye Olde Man & Scythe, Bolton

1251. That’s when we know that the name of Ye Olde Man & Scythe was first recorded. Not only is it the oldest pub in Bolton, it’s definitely earned a place in the top ten oldest pubs in Britain. As with all of Britain’s historic pubs, it has seen a lot of colourful characters over the years. The most famous of these is James Stanley, the seventh Earl of Derby and a former owner of the pub. In 1651, he was executed for his part in the Bolton Massacre of the English Civil War but according to legend, Stanley’s ghost still hangs around. Despite claims that a Chinese artist had stolen the ghost (!) in 2016, visitors have sighted Stanley more recently. The building itself is rather picturesque, with a distinctive wooden frame, gables, and casement windows. Stop by for some cask ale and local music, and perhaps a glimpse of Stanley.

Ye Olde Man & Scythe is located at 6-8 Churchgate, Bolton. Check website for hours.

The White Hart, Drury Lane, London

The White Hart claims to be “the oldest licensed premises in London”, open for business since 1216, and archives at The Old Bailey support the claim. It has had its fair share of notoriety over the centuries. Famed highwayman Dick Turpin supped here, and it’s possible that serial killer Frederic Thomas Linwood, a.k.a the Muffin Man, made this his local. Today, it stands in the heart of London and is a popular spot with the crowds of tourists who visit Covent Garden each year. The pub offers a good selection of draught ales while everything on the impressive food menu is priced under £10, a welcome change to typical London prices.

The White Hart is located at 191 Drury Lane, Holborn, London. Check website for hours.

Sheep Heid Inn, Edinburgh

According to some, the earliest license for the Sheep Heid Inn was granted in 1360, backing claims that this may be Scotland’s “oldest surviving public house”. However, the pub’s owners point out that they are still searching for concrete evidence. In the meantime, the current building dates to the 18th century. The name refers to the neighbourhood’s history as the site where sheep, grazing in nearby Holyrood Park, were brought for slaughter. Historically, the Sheep Heid Inn has seen its share of royal visitors. Mary, Queen of Scots, stopped by on her way between her palaces. Her son, James VI (I of England), gave the landlord a snuff box in thanks for his hospitality. And Elizabeth II paid a visit in 2016. One key point of interest is the Victorian skittles alley, built in 1882, and still in use for an evening’s entertainment.

The Sheep Heid Inn is located at 43-45 The Causeway, Edinburgh. The pub will reopen on Wednesday, 15th July.

The Old Ferry Boat, Holywell, Cambridgeshire

Be prepared to be confused a little when looking this one up – some sites say it is in Cambridgeshire, others say Norfolk! We’ll say the former until told otherwise. The Old Ferry Boat is another British pub that claims to be one of the oldest in the country, supposedly open since 560 AD. However, many historians say that about 1400 is more likely. Sitting on the banks of the Great Ouse, it offers a picturesque spot to partake of some food and drink and stay the night. And since so many pubs in Part 2 are said to be haunted, let’s not forget the ghost of Juliet, a teenage girl who hanged herself in 1050 AD, having been abandoned by her lover. Is the pub built over her burial site as some claim?

The Old Ferry Boat Inn is located in Holywell, St Ives, Cambridgeshire. Check website for hours.

Ye Olde Salutation Inn, Nottingham

Our third featured pub from Nottingham is actually the city’s second-oldest, dating to 1240. Way back in the 1920s, excavation of the site uncovered man-made caves from the 9th century and signs of a Saxon farm. Later, this became a brewery, and then a tanner’s workshop. The inn’s old nme was The Archangel Gabriel Salutes the Virgin Mary. Fast forward to the 17th century, when the inn had recruiting rooms for both sides of the Civil War,which must have made for some interesting and tense confrontations! After the Civil War, the pub’s name was considered too religious, and so it became the Sodier and Citizen. Restoration in 1660 brought back not only the monarchy but also the pub’s original name. Today, Ye Olde Salutation Inn thrives as a lively pub and music venue, as reflected in the logo above.

Ye Olde Salutation Inn is located at Maid Marian Way, Nottingham. Check website for hours.

Ye Olde Yew Tree, Westbere

As a Maid of Kent, I feel it necessary to include Ye Olde Yew Tree in Westbere, just outside of Canterbury. Built in 1348, it is the oldest surviving pub in Kent, and it too has a history of famous guests and possibly ghosts. Dick Turpin apparently hid here to avoid being captured. During the Civil War, the building served as a field hospital for wounded soldiers. Perhaps those soldiers now haunt the pub. Inside, you will find thick wooden beams and historical local documents decorating the walls around the large fireplace. Or relax outside in the beer garden. Having enjoyed pork belly and sticky toffee bites here, I recommend the food.

Ye Olde Yew Tree is located at 32 Westbere Lane, Westbere. Call (01227) 710501 for more information about hours.