Key facts
- The George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, is identified as England's oldest continuously operating pub.
- The George Inn has been in continuous use as an inn since approximately 1430-1432.
- Tree-ring dating (dendrochronology) was used to scientifically determine the age of pub timbers.
- Many pubs claiming origins from AD800 or earlier lack factual basis and likely rely on marketing strategies.
- No pubs are mentioned in the Domesday Book, contrary to some claims.
Many pubs in England claim to be the oldest, with origins stretching back to Viking or Saxon times. However, Dr. James Wright, a buildings archaeologist for Historic England, states that none of these claims are accurate. Through painstaking investigation, including tree-ring dating of wooden beams, Wright has identified the George Inn in Norton St Philip, Somerset, as the oldest pub in continuous use as an inn, dating from around 1430-1432.
Wright explained that dendrochronology provides scientific accuracy for the age of timbers, as medieval carpenters typically used freshly felled wood. He debunked claims from establishments like Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in St Albans, which claims origins around AD800, stating its building was originally a monastic dovecote and only became a public house in the early 19th century. Wright also clarified that no pubs are mentioned in the Domesday Book, dismissing such claims as marketing strategies.