Bingley Arms Leeds: Take a look inside the oldest pub in Britain that has stood strong for over 1000 years

By Abi Whistance

Published 15th Mar 2023, 16:30 BST

The Bingley Arms has the title of the oldest pub in Britain in The Guinness Book of World Records.

The Bingley Arms, located on Church Lane in Bardsey, has stood strong for over 1000 years, dating back to sometime between AD 905 and AD 953 according to historians. The pub used to be called The Priests Inn, and was utilised as a hiding place for Catholic priests and those threatened by the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536.

Find out more about The Bingley Arms’s fascinating history below.

Originally run by Leeds brewer Samson Ellis, The Bingley Arms acted as both a pub and place of refuge for travelling monks in its early days.

1. Place of refuge for monks

Originally run by Leeds brewer Samson Ellis, The Bingley Arms acted as both a pub and place of refuge for travelling monks in its early days. Photo: Simon Hulme

With its fantastic location in the heart of Bardsey, the pub made a great stopping point for travellers heading to St. Mary’s Abbey in York.

2. Stopping point for travellers

With its fantastic location in the heart of Bardsey, the pub made a great stopping point for travellers heading to St. Mary’s Abbey in York. Photo: Simon Hulme

The pub used to be called The Priests Inn, and was utilised as a hiding place for Catholic priests and those threatened by Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. This photo shows the pub in the 1930s.

3. Used to be called The Priests Inn

The pub used to be called The Priests Inn, and was utilised as a hiding place for Catholic priests and those threatened by Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. This photo shows the pub in the 1930s. Photo: Simon Hulme

Interestingly, the pub still has priest holes remaining in the chimney - cavernous spaces that Catholic priests would climb into to hide during historic eras of persecution.

4. Priest holes remain in the chimney

Interestingly, the pub still has priest holes remaining in the chimney - cavernous spaces that Catholic priests would climb into to hide during historic eras of persecution. Photo: Simon Hulme

Not only was the pub used as a hiding place for Catholics, it was also used temporarily as a courthouse from around AD 1000. This picture found in the Bingley Arms is from 1893.

5. Used temporarily as a courthouse

Not only was the pub used as a hiding place for Catholics, it was also used temporarily as a courthouse from around AD 1000. This picture found in the Bingley Arms is from 1893. Photo: Simon Hulme

In 1780 the pub finally received the name we know it by now, when it was acquired by Tory politician Lord Bingley.

6. Acquired by Tory politician Lord Bingley

In 1780 the pub finally received the name we know it by now, when it was acquired by Tory politician Lord Bingley. Photo: Simon Hulme