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. Just 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 and his book Historic Building Mythbusting will be released via The History Press on 6 June 2024.
