Ye Olde Pub Painter’s Pub Crawls – Historic Nottingham

When you come to Nottingham, you’ll realise relatively early on that if someone can plaster the name Robin Hood on something, they will. And if not Robin, one of his storied companions will do. It can get a little repetitive and one gets rather tired of it rather quickly. As you’re driving down Maid Marion way, or using your Robin Hood card on the tram, perhaps journeying to see the Outlaws at Trent Bridge, the very mention of this character’s name can become grating. But thankfully, in today’s pub crawl, we’re going to look at historic Nottingham – not legendary Nottingham. There will be no further mentions of this fictional hero as we’re going to visit pubs that have a genuine significant place in history for you to enjoy, and Nottingham has some historic belters. 

And those of you familiar with this neck of the woods may even groan as, yes, I’m going to mention the very obvious ones, but they’re in this crawl because they have intriguing histories, and they happen to be nice places to drink as well. What’s more, I should caveat this with the fact that I won’t be covering every historic pub in Nottingham because if you tried to visit all of them in one go, and had a pint in each, you’d be dead.

Let’s kick off with what is probably the most obvious candidate…

Pub 1 – Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem 

Yes, it’s the picture postcard pub of Nottingham and a bit of a cliche, but it definitely counts as historic. Built into the very rock that Nottingham Castle sits upon, some of the rooms in the current building date back to the 1650s and there has, reportedly been a pub on this site since 1189 – the year Richard the Lionheart became king and Pope Gregory VIII called for the 3rd Crusade to the Holy Land, hence the name. This pub proudly boasts that it is the oldest in England (possibly), and is currently operated by Greene King. It usually has a great range of traditional ales and there’s plenty of space outdoors to sit, though this is a popular destination so expect it to be busy. 

Pub 2 – Ye Old Olde Salutation Inn

Crossing the aforementioned Maid Marion Way, you’re heading to the Sal, another pub that claims to be the oldest in England. Now a small music venue with a rocky/alternative look to the interior, this pub also serves plenty of fun traditional ales from all over the UK. It’s built on top of some ancient manmade caves dating back to the 9th Century and was originally called “The Archangel Gabriel Salutes The Virgin Mary” hence the thankfully shortened modern name that it adopted in 1660. Interestingly, the Sal was a recruiting site for both sides during the English CIvil War – a conflict that began right here in Nottingham, right next to the castle. And speaking of the castle…

Pub 3 – The Castle

No, not the actual castle, but The Castle Pub & Kitchen that sits just outside the gates to the actual castle (which isn’t actually an actual castle). Built in 1883, it was designed by Watson Fothergill whose unique style is evident in the architecture. His buildings are instantly recognisable due to their Gothic Revival style and you’ll find them all over this little part of the world. And sitting out the front, you can enjoy the view of this ancient part of Nottingham and the castle itself. There’s even a statue garden opposite featuring statues of… some local criminal do-gooder that we won’t talk about anymore.

Pub 4 – Malt Cross

Ever had a drink in a Victorian Music Hall? Chances are you haven’t but a quick visit to the Malt Cross and you can check that off your bucket list. This pub was built in 1877 and takes its name from an old monument that once stood on the same site. It’s now run by Nottingham YMCA and so you’ll be helping a charity by stopping in for a pint. It’s a truly beautiful place to be, with the high ceiling windows, the balconies and a delightful range of beers… a true highlight on your crawl through Nottingham.

Pub 5 – Bell Inn

A very short walk from the Malt Cross, you’ll find The Bell Inn. This pub claims to be the oldest in England and… wait, we’ve heard that before right?

Ok, slight sidebar, as you’ve probably noticed we have no fewer than three pubs in Nottingham that all claim to be the oldest in England. It’s not a debate that’s going anywhere soon, and all three continue to lay claim to that title. The truth is, we’re going back 900+ years and so records of drinking establishments are sparse and their accuracy can be debatable. Despite a Channel 4 documentary trying to settle this a few years back, awarding the title to the Bell, the Trip and the Sal both say it’s them and we’ll likely never know for sure. So, it’s best just to think of all three as being the oldest pubs in England and get on with it. 

Anyway, going back to the Bell Inn, it was originally built in 1271 by Monks (known as great brewers back in those days) and only became a secular ale house in 1539 after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. The earliest mention we know of is in the will of the Sheriff of Nottingham (ugh, no, not that one) in 1638 as he was bagging half the rent on this place. This is a good stop for Cricket Historians too as the pub’s Landlord in 1812, William Clarke, was the person who went on to create the Trent Bridge cricket ground. While stopping for another real ale here, you’ll be enjoying dark wood panelling, checkered floors and a real sense of history. 

Pub 6 – Hand & Heart

Y’all like caves? While the Trip might be built into the castle rock, for a real cave drinking experience you need to check out the Hand & Heart. It may look unassuming from the outside, but inside it’s a literal cavern of wonder. They have several caves that could well date back to Saxon times where you will now find a wine cellar, restaurant, snug and more. It’s a genuinely magical place to drink and those ancient caves take you right back in time. It’s also worth pointing out that the pub is beautifully appointed and decorated, and they have two signature beers – Heavy Handed and Light Hearted, with both being worth your time.

Pub 7 – The Sir John Borlase Warren

We’re going to end in a pub steeped in navel history, which is a bit odd when you consider you’re almost the furthest from the sea that you can be in the UK. The JB-Dubs (literally no-one calls it that) is named after a Nottingham born naval hero who, like so many English sailors, gained fame after defeating the French and when he returned home, he was paraded through the streets as a true celebrity of his time, and in 1814, this pub was named after him. It’s a spacious and atmospheric pub, with a surprisingly large garden area and a lot of seating inside too. It’s a joyous place to end your voyage through Nottingham’s most historic pubs with yet another good ale.

Food Options: 

You’ve got loads to choose from. Most of these places do great pub grub and on the way, you’ll pass plenty of eateries. My personal favourite for food would be the Castle but honestly, they’re all decent options. For a fancier experience, the Hand & Heart could be a real winner though.

Off You Go Then

There you have it. A concise, 7 pub historic pub crawl through Nottingham. It’s worth reiterating that I could have added loads more pubs to this one, but 7 is a good upper limit for a day trip crawl, and this takes in a nice, easy to follow route. I may revisit and do an alternative crawl, and I’m definitely going to do a modern crawl through Nottingham some time soon too. I hope you enjoy this one in the meantime. Cheers!