The George Inn in Somerset named England's oldest pub

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 09:32 · Archive

Historic England has named The George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, as England's oldest continuously licensed pub, dating back over 600 years.

Historic England has officially named The George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, as England's oldest continuously licensed pub. The building has been providing hospitality for more than 600 years, according to building archaeologist Dr James Wright.

Dr Wright said the designation ends years of debate, as many pubs have claimed to be England's oldest without supporting evidence. He stated that most such claims are 'myths' and that genuine identification requires examining the physical fabric of buildings and the history of the people who built them.

The George Inn was established in the 14th century by monks from nearby Hinton Priory as a commercial venture, confirmed by historical paperwork. The architectural evidence of its stone and timber construction demonstrates continuous service over the centuries, and tree ring dating has been used to scientifically verify the age of its timbers.

How it is being reported

• Cheers! England's oldest pub is finally named as experts confirm 'national treasure' boozer started pulling pints 600 years ago after studying tree rings in timber frameEveryone thinks they know where England's oldest pub is - and have had many a drunken debate over it. But that argument now seems to have been settled.Daily Mail · 23 Oct, 10:32
• Oldest pub in England finally officially crowned putting end to years of debateThe oldest pub in England has been welcoming punters for more than 600 years and was awarded the prestigious title thanks to "real" evidence and not simply "myth"The Mirror · 23 Oct, 09:12
• Britain’s oldest pub has finally been found – and it’s 600 years oldThe pub in Norton St Phillip in Somerset has been providing hospitality for more than 600 years.Metro · 23 Oct, 08:20

In this story: The George Inn · Historic England · Norton St Philip · Somerset · Dr James Wright · Hinton Priory

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