Ye Olde Salutation Inn

Infobox Historic building
name = Ye Olde Salutation Inn


caption =
map_type = Nottinghamshire
latitude = 52.95177
longitude = -1.15013
location = Hounds Gate
location_town = Nottingham
location_country = England
architect =
client =
engineer =
construction_start_date =
completion_date = c.1240
date_demolished =
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Ye Olde Salutation Inn is a public house dating from around 1240 that lays claim (along with Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn and The Bell Inn) to being the oldest in Nottingham. [cite web |url=http://www.thebell-inn.com/great_inn.php |title=The Bell Inn - Who's Eldest|accessdate=2008-08-05]

History

The current building was constructed as a workshop for a tanner with living accommodation above in 1240 on the site of an old alehouse known as "The Archangel Gabriel Salutes the Virgin Mary". The name led local historian J. Holland Walker to speculate a connection with the local Carmelite monastery but no documentary has been found to support this. [cite web |url=http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/whatnall1928/salutation_inn.htm |title=Links with Old Nottingham|author=J. Holland Walker|date=1928|accessdate=2008-08-29] [cite web |url=http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/articles/tts/tts1930/itinerary1930p4.htm|title=An Itinerary of Nottingham|author=J. Holland Walker|date=1932|accessdate=2008-08-29]

Borough records from 1440 record a private dwelling belonging to John Alastre on the site.

During the English Civil War (1642-1646) both factions established recruiting rooms in the Inn. Following the Puritan victory the authorities objected to the religious implications of the sign and the Inn was renamed "Soldier and Citizen". The original name was restored along with the Monarchy in 1660.

An investigation by the Thoroton Excavation Society in 1937 dated the caves to the 9th century and concluded that they were part of a Saxon farm latter used for servants accommodation and brewing.

Extensions to the pub in 1966 included the hanging of a wrought iron hand outside that was stolen that same night.

The Inn was featured along with its rivals Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem Inn and The Bell Inn in a 1998 episode of the Channel 4 TV series History Hunters which used records, building architecture and timbers, and local legends to decide which was truly the oldest.

External links

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/360/public_houses/salutation_inn.shtml Salutation Inn] at BBC Nottingham

References