Greene King Investigates: our most unusual pubs
Here at Greene King, our pubs come in all shapes and sizes, from centuries-old listed buildings rich with history and character to urban hotspots with secret beer gardens that make you forget you’re in the heart of the city. Indeed, we think each and every one of our pubs is special and deserving its spot in the limelight. However, there are a few venues that take the word ‘unique’ to a whole new level.
Some of our pubs have gained a reputation for being unusual. Not that being unusual is a bad thing; on the contrary. We all love a good story, and the following pubs have more than a few tales to tell.
What makes a pub unusual, you may ask? Well, anything out of the ordinary, really! Anything that piques your interest and makes you want to learn more. Perhaps it’s a fascinating story connected with the building's history. Maybe it’s something unique about the architecture.
Let’s take a journey through time and explore some of our most unusual pubs.
The Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham
This gem of a pub sits in the shadow of Nottingham Castle and may have once been connected to the fortress via the city’s network of underground tunnels. In fact, it is partly built into Castle Rock! With a name that harkens back to Richard the Lionheart and the Crusades, the Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem has amassed centuries of fascinating lore, each room offering its own unique story (and resident ghost). And whatever you do, don’t touch the Cursed Galleon!
The Templar Hotel, Leeds
Staying on theme with kings, knights and the Middle Ages, the Templar Hotel, named after the Knights Templar, is a historic pub in central Leeds dating back to the 19th century. With many beautifully preserved features from its 1928 remodelling, such as the stunning wood panelling, the Templar Hotel is Grade II listed and has long been the purveyor of excellent food and drinks. Many things have changed since it first opened its doors, but a warm welcome endures.
The Dirty Duck, Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon – home of Shakespeare, and at the Dirty Duck, you can find affectionate nods to The Bard in every corner, from the riverside front terrace to the world-famous Actor’s Bar, where you’ll find each wall adorned with signed portraits of the finest actors ever to tread the boards. The Dirty Duck is also the only pub in the UK with two names, having originally been called the Black Swan and gaining its playful nickname from American GIs during World War II.
The Prospect of Whitby, Wapping
Of all the pubs dotted along the banks of the River Thames, the Prospect of Whitby is one to watch out for, having once been a local haunt for smugglers, pirates and other ne'er-do-wells. Originally built in 1520, the Prospect of Whitby is London's oldest riverside pub, with a rare pewter-topped bar and an execution dock complete with a gallows' crossbeam out back, where sea-faring criminals would meet their untimely end, including the legendary Captain Kidd! No wonder it became known as 'The Devil's Tavern'.
The Guild, Preston
The doctor will see you now, because between the 1920s and 1990s, the Guild in Preston was a doctor’s surgery! It’s hard to imagine, but it was once the home and workplace of physician and Royal College of General Practitioners co-founder Fraser Macintosh Rose, featuring consulting rooms where treatment and minor surgical procedures were performed. Quite the change in business: the Guild re-opened its doors as a pub in the early 90s and has since earned a reputation as a warm, welcoming, family-friendly venue.
The Old Punch Bowl, Crawley
Speaking of pubs with impressive CVs, the Old Punch Bowl in Crawley has undergone numerous transformations, having started life as a 15th century farmhouse before converting to a tearoom in the 1930s, a bank in the 1950s and eventually, a pub in 1994. In fact, during World War II, it even doubled as a military mess, dancehall and YMCA meeting place. It may have been around for six centuries, but this Grade II* listed pub continues to thrive as a local community hub, where locals and tourists alike gather and bond over perfectly poured pints.
The Fort St George, Cambridge
The city of Cambridge boasts more than its fair share of old pubs, but the Fort St George holds the title as the oldest waterside pub in the area. This Grade II listed timber-framed building can be traced back to the 16th century and was originally named after Fort Saint George, a historic fortress located in Madras (now Chennai), India, established by the British East India Company. This pub also used to be the site of a ferry crossing, until a footbridge was constructed in 1927.