Drove past the other day and saw it has reopened. Good to see, as it’s always sad to see old historical buildings in disrepair. Did I see a sign claiming it to be the oldest pub in England? Is that based on fact? Seems unlikely to me. Just wondered if I’d mis-read it?
Aye there’s some lovely folk in there - food served form October. Think the old pub is contentious, there about 10 that claim to be the oldest. No matter as long as folk have a great time.
It’s like triggers sweeping brush that he used all his life - which had 75 new handles and 107 new brush heads... This place is the oldest in history but had reclaimed stone replaced 6 times, 4 new roofs 7 internal refits and 1016 new owners.
Its been taken up by Baileys who are leaving their cafe in the market rather than move into the White Elephant.
It was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London (1666). There's a place in Wapping which dates to the 1500s, Prospect of Whitby. and pretty sure there are older ones dotted around the rest of the UK.
Coach and Horses what use to be up Ardsley dated back to 1300s (supposingly) but when they knocked it down they found engraved stones in the cellar dating back to 600AD. Yet again dont know how true this is. But when i was in London i once mentioned it to the landlord of the so called oldest pub in Britain known as "The George" near London Bridge and he started looking into it and asked several Barnsley fans that day if i had made it up. He then took my name and number and said he was going to contact me to get some more information on the M.O.B.B as he had challenged a few previously to hold the title and won. He never got in touch though, probably did it to shut a lot us up lol
He Olde Trip to Jerusalem was in the Guinness book of Records as the oldest pub. Think it's been a pub for 900 years
Certainly one of the oldest buildings used as a pub. For while some claims may be conjecture and certainly the 'Trip to Jerusalem' is basically a cave in which the Crusaders were alleged to gather, with further accommodation attached largely in the nineteenth century; the date of the 'Mill of the Black Monks' is solidly based on monastic records. Which tell that in 1150 Adam Fitzwain, grandson of Ailric the Saxon overlord, donated land to the Cluniac monks on which to build Monk Bretton Priory. Adding that his bequest included the 'milne' (mill) which clearly takes us back before the Norman Conquest and deep into Saxon times. A half-timbered mil which we surprisingly found not upstream as might have been expected, but under the present structure when we 'jacked it up' six feet to recover it from burial by the Council in the nineteenth century. A piece of which can be seen inside comprising the sole plate of that earlier building with dovetail joint indicating it was the corner of the building. And a mortice which once housed a post but without a dowel which indicates a very early date. And as for confirmation of its role in history is the fact that when Henry V111 sent the famous Thomas Cromwell to take surrender of the Priory, he was accompanied by William Blythman who bought it and lived there. Also owned by the sixth Earl of Shrewsbury who was gaoler of Mary Queen of Scots and married to the famous Bess of Hardwick. Then owned by great Lady Mary Armine who lived there and did much work on the Mill which was milled by her kinsman Gamaliel Milner. She built hospitals for the poor, donated money to educate the 'Red Indians' of America and built a row of six almshouses for the poor next to the Mill. And with numerous inscriptions indicating the identities of millers such a William Silvester who milled there in 1686 paying 18 shillings and eight pence per year rent to the owner King Charles 11. Etc, etc, etc. Whatever the dates of other buildings, few will have what we have here in Barnsley.
