SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

I was watching a program on tv when it mentioned that the oldest pub in England is in Nottingham called 'Ye olde trip to Jerusalem'. Now this got me thinking because I was sure that I was told years ago that 'The Bingley Arms' in north Leeds is Englands oldest pub.Have I been believing a lie for the last thirty years or was my mate right all along? Regards.

H'mm, I think there are several pubs which claim to be the oldest. There's one in St Alban's (can't remember its name). I assume you're alluding to the Bingley Arms at Bardsey on the way to Wetherby? It is an old pub, I think with monastic links - might even have been a secret passage from there to Kirkstall Abbey - but I've never heard any claim that it's England's oldest. No doubt the pub experts like cardiarms will know?    

It claims to be in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest.http://bingleyarms.co.uk/history.php

This site http://www.fatbadgers.co.uk/britain/old.htm suggests that it was rebuilt but Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem hasn't been, so that's probably the reason. I have no idea how acurate the linked site is, but use it to illustrate.It's like Whitelocks which many consider the oldest pud in Leeds centre, but the site changed name so it's something like oldest continually inhabited pub site or something instead.    

Hats Off wrote: I was watching a program on tv when it mentioned that the oldest pub in England is in Nottingham called 'Ye olde trip to Jerusalem'. Now this got me thinking because I was sure that I was told years ago that 'The Bingley Arms' in north Leeds is Englands oldest pub.Have I been believing a lie for the last thirty years or was my mate right all along? Regards. The trip is a cave, and dates back to before any built pub.The Bingley arms is a pub in a building.So it's down to definitions.I'd suggest you do the trip and enjoy it - it's fantastic.Then do the Arms and enjoy that - tremendous building and history.

Bingley - priests hole up chimney