The buildings may have changed, the people may have grown, but one thing has remained the same throughout history. We all love a right booze up in Notts and, as we’ve been drinking since before time began, we decided to round up our top places for a pint that remind us of the years gone by…
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
One name on every local’s lips when giving recommendations is ‘Trip’. Nestled comfortably in to the workings of the castle, you don’t get more historical than this place. And in 1998, there was even a Time Team investigation to prove it, which crowned Ye Olde Trip as the official oldest Inn in Nottingham. But beware, rumour has it that the ghosts of drunkards past still like to pop in now and again.
Hand & Heart
Dine and drink surrounded by sandstone caves in this Derby Road local. The caves were used to store and mature beer during the 1860s, and today they serve eight different kinds - six changing and two regular. The cellars were also used as an air raid shelter during World War Two, but now they offer more of a welcome escape.
Ye Olde Salutation Inn
This pub narrowly missed out on the ‘Oldest Pub’ title to Trip, but still has a vast history dating back to 1240. Another investigation in 1937 revealed that the caves in this pub were part of a Saxon farm and later were used for servant’s accommodation and brewing. You’ll find a similar crowd and atmosphere to Trip here, but the two are rivals, so pick a side.
The Bell Inn
The Bell Inn was originally one of 120 Friaries set up by Jewish monks in Nottingham, with its beams dating back to 1420. The building has been through the wars, two world ones in fact, as well as surviving the Goose Fair riots in 1831, where it narrowly avoided being set alight. And aren’t we glad that this boozer has lived to tell the tale, now offering cellar tours every week for your chance to learn more about the history and explore underneath the city streets.
The Cross Keys
The Cross Keys on Byards Lane dates back to the beginning of the 20th Century, but had been a brewery from the 1700s. In Victorian times, the brewery used to sale ale outside, mystified as to why their stock kept going missing. It was then discovered that a gang of navvies had used their tunnelling skills to nick the goods. Scoundrels.
The Prince Rupert
Venturing slightly further than the city centre, The Prince Rupert in Newark is situated near Newark Castle. As a stop on the Civil War history trail around the town, legend has it that the inn was used to shelter soldiers during the war. The building dates back to 1452, and its historical past still remains evident to this day through its timber framing.
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