Which is really England’s oldest pub? Tree-ring dating helps settle debate

With their low ceilings, timber beams, and roaring fires, many of England’s inns lay claim to being the oldest in the land, often asserting they were visited by Vikings and Saxons. However, an archaeologist from Historic England, Dr. James Wright, has stated that none of the more than two dozen pubs making such claims are accurate.

Dr. Wright, a buildings archaeologist, explained that while many pubs assert origins dating back 1,000 years, it is challenging to verify whether any were built and used as inns or ale houses prior to the 1400s. After extensive investigation, including tree-ring dating on the wooden beams of these establishments, he identified the George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, as the oldest pub in England, having been in continuous use since around 1430-1432.

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“Not one of the claimants to be the oldest pub (and there are over two dozen of them) are even vaguely close to being so in reality,” Dr. Wright told the Guardian.

He noted that the architectural history of the George Inn suggests it has been in continuous service for over 600 years, having been established in the 14th century by the monks of nearby Hinton Priory. The tree-ring dating process has helped to accurately determine the age of the timbers used in its construction.