Many have laid claim to the title of England’s oldest public house – likely enjoying the inevitable boost to business that comes with the epithet.
But few have been able to come up with the irrefutable evidence – until now.
Experts have confirmed that the country’s most ancient boozer is, in fact, The George Inn, after an archaeologist studied tree rings in the pub’s timber frame.
The tavern in Norton St Phillip in Somerset has been pulling pints for more than 600 years, according to Historic England.
Building archaeologist Dr James Wright says many pubs claim the title of oldest – but that it’s often based on ‘myth’.
He said that documents and the timber work prove that the pub was originally built in the late 14th century and was extended at some point between 1430 and 1432.
The pub was built on the order of the Carthusian monks of nearby Hinton Priory, to provide accommodation for the merchants attending the monastery’s markets and fairs.
Britain’s oldest pub, The George Inn, a historic 14th-century pub in Norton St Philip, Somerset
The pub was proven to be the country’s most ancient boozer after an archaeologist studied tree rings in the pub’s timber frame
This painting by an unknown artist depicts the pub in 1936
Debate on what England’s oldest pub is has been so fierce that the Guinness World Records stopped awarding the title back in 2000, but Dr Wright is now adamant.
Dr Wright said: ‘Most of what you’ve heard about the oldest pubs in England are myths.
‘There are many many claims to be the oldest pub in the country and yet so few of them actually have evidence to back up those claims.
‘To get to the real evidence of these buildings we have to look at the fabric, and we’ve got to look at the story of the people who actually built them and that all leads us to the village of Norton St Philip in Somerset.’
He said that the pub’s stone and timber show that the building has been in ‘continuous’ service for over 600 years.
He added: ‘The George Inn was set up in the 14th Century by the monks of nearby Hinton Priory and they did this as a savvy money making exercise and we know this from the paperwork.
‘The final piece of the puzzle at The George Inn is tree ring dating and that helps us to try and understand scientifically exactly how old the timbers are.
‘And because we know Medieval carpenters didn’t muck around at all and they would fell the timber when it was green and build almost immediately afterwards, the actual date of felling gives us the near date of construction.
The George Inn has been providing hospitality for more than 600 years
Dr James Wright said that documents and the timber work prove that the pub was originally built in the late 14th century
Emily Mingham, who serves as assistant manager at The George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset
Samuel Pepys (1633-1709) visited the pub in 1668 with his wife and servants as they made their way to Bath from Salisbury
‘And in terms of the timber work…we know that this dates from between 1430 and 1432.
‘In history memories can fade and stories can be embellished, but the science pinpoints the archaeological development of the George Inn.
‘We’re not guessing at its age – now that’s the difference between a local legend and a national treasure.’
Even after 600 years, the pub is still going strong – it was named one of four finalists in this year’s Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire Tourism Awards.
A spokesman for Historic England said: ‘The dates painted on pub signs can be inaccurate, and when evidence is missing, imagination often fills the gaps.
‘Building archaeologist Dr James Wright believes the George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, has the strongest claim to being England’s earliest surviving purpose-built inn, an early type of public house.
‘The George Inn – Norton St Philip was originally built in the late 14th century for the Carthusian monks of Hinton Priory to provide accommodation for merchants attending the monastery’s markets and fairs.
‘The inn’s builders then added many structures in the 15th century, including the timber-framed front and roof, using timber felled between 1430 and 1432.’
Inside Britain’s oldest pub, the The George Inn
The pub was built on the order of the Carthusian monks of nearby Hinton Priory, to provide accommodation for the merchants attending the monastery’s markets and fairs
Dr James Wright said that pub’s stone and timber show that the building has been in ‘continuous’ service for over 600 years
Even after 630 years, the pub is still going strong – it was named one of four finalists in this year’s Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire Tourism Awards
A pub called Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans once held the Guinness World Record for the country’s oldest boozer. But it was discovered that while the building dated to the 16th century, there was only a record of it being a pub as late as 1756.
Medieval inns differed from alehouses, which served ale, and taverns, which served wine.
Inns offered a wider range of services, including accommodation, food, drink and facilities for travellers’ horses and belongings.
