England’s Oldest Inn?

At some stage you must have come across a pub, inn or hotel that claims to be Britain’s oldest.  Some of those that claim to be the oldest can trace their origins no further back than the 17th century. One of the best known names in Nottingham hardly predates the Victorian era! However, by a combination of historical records, building techniques and dating of the timber (dendrochronology), it is possible to get a very accurate date for the original construction, thus narrowing down the field considerably. Thus we can say that the Angel and Royal Hotel in Grantham is a Lincolnshire hotel of great antiquity and is one of no more than a handful in England that can prove their ancestry and continuous operation back to mediaeval times. If you are visiting Belton House then maybe you would like to travel a further three miles into Grantham to enjoy the atmosphere in the cosy bar. If you have the chance, ask to see the Kings Room upstairs, with a portrait of King Richard 111 dominating the scene and a mysterious narrow stairway vanishing from the right corner of the photo.