In Search of Britain’s Oldest Pubs

Numerous claims are made to be Britain’s oldest pub from all corners of the isles. Pubs have been the beating heart of communities for centuries and there are firm regional rivalries when it comes to competing for the very oldest boozer. Is it ever possible to come close to identifying which establishment has been serving up the beers for the longest?

Using a combination of archaeological and documentary evidence, this talk will delve deeply into the historical development of British pubs through the mediaeval period. Can we begin to define the physical characteristics and date of pubs from their architecture? The claims of well-known buildings will be put to the test and those of more obscure pubs brought to the fore. KJust where is Britain’s oldest pub?

The speaker, James Wright (Triskele Heritage), is an award winning buildings archaeologist. He has two decades professional experience of ferreting around in people’s cellars, hunting through their attics and digging up their gardens. He hopes to find meaningful truths about how ordinary and extraordinary folk lived their lives in the mediaeval period. He is the author of the popular Mediaeval Mythbusting Blog.

All you need to do is register via Eventbrite and – when the time for the talk rolls around – grab your favourite beverage of choice, get comfy and enjoy.

The event will take place at 19:00 GMT on Thursday 29 December 2022 .

Booking is now available via Eventbrite:

This lecture is crowdfunded through donation. It will be the debut of a new bespoke talk. There is no minimum donation so its possible to contribute as little or as much as you want. Your donation is your ticket and you will be sent a link to access the event by Eventbrite.

Please note that this live event will not be recorded and made available online afterwards.

If you have a question about the event – in the first instance please see our FAQs section. The answer will almost certainly be in there.

*** If you have any problems accessing the events please email with your booking reference to james@triskeleheritage.com ***