Possibly the Oldest Pubs in Britain

Britain has a long and proud tradition of public houses, with the oldest on record possibly dating back an amazing 1,500 years. Historians say it's hard to prove the exact age of some of the pubs believed to be the oldest in the country, due to a lack of historical documents - but a few have been earmarked as dating back possibly as far as the 5th century.

Customers at the Old Ferryboat Inn in St Ives, Huntingdon may well be sitting in a public house where their predecessors met as long ago as 460AD. Now a rustic hotel, modern furnishings and comforts complement its traditional thatched roof and white stonework to create a snug and homely atmosphere.

Historians say alcohol was served on the site as early as 560, with archaeological records dating the foundations back to around 460, but it's impossible to get conclusive proof of its real age. Over the years, rebuilds and some breaks in trading have meant it doesn't have official recognition as Britain's oldest pub.

Another contender, the Eagle and Child Inn located in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire reputedly dates back to 947. There is some evidence of a hotel on the site as early as 514, but it isn't conclusive. Although some records date the public house to the 10th century, when bear fights were allegedly held there, the earliest definitive evidence of a pub on the site appears in the 14th century.

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans is officially named in the Guinness Book of Records as the UK's oldest pub, with documents suggesting it was built in 795. This is a somewhat controversial date, with some historians arguing it arrived on its present site much later in 1485, with its earlier incarnation at a different location. However, despite the doubts, Guinness has stood firm in officially naming it the oldest pub in Britain.

The Bingley Arms in Bardsey, Leeds has possibly been in existence since the early 10th century, as some historic records mention a pub - originally called The Priest's Inn - on the site from 905. However, it may not have been a public house in its own right, as the site used to house a court of law, and alcohol was available at courts in those days. It claims to be the Oldest Pub in Britain, but a rebuild was known to have taken place in 1539.

The Royal Standard of England in Forty Green, Beaconsfield is said to date from 1086, being mentioned in the Domesday Book as a free house. Its rather complicated history suggests it was used during Saxon times as a meeting place and alehouse, although in those days it was a private property and not an official public house, so ascertaining the exact date that it became a pub is difficult.

The Skirrid Mountain Inn in Abergavenny, Wales is believed to date from 1110. The former courthouse was also the meeting place for Owain Glyndwr's famous but ill-fated revolt against English rule between 1400 and 1415. No-one knows exactly what happened to Glyndwr after the revolt failed, although he was never caught, despite many of his counterparts being imprisoned in the Tower of London and later hanged. Legal documents date the pub on its original site to the 12th century.

No-one will ever know which is truly Britain's oldest pub, but the nation's love of historic public houses continues into the 21st century. Solent Plastics has a large range of products suitable for use in pubs, including our plastic bottle storage crates for beer, wine and spirits. Cheers!