Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem sits at the foot of Castle Rock in Nottingham, partly built into the sandstone caves beneath the castle. The pub is famous for its claim to date from 1189, which would make it one of England's oldest inns; that date is traditional and hard to verify, though the building and its rock-cut cellars are genuinely old and have long served travellers and brewers.

The Trip has a long-standing reputation as one of Nottingham's most haunted pubs. Local tradition centres on a grimy old model galleon hanging in the upstairs room, said to bring misfortune to anyone who cleans it, and on the so-called Haunted Snug, where visitors report cold spots and uneasy feelings. Some retellings connect sounds in the caves to Queen Isabella, held at the castle above. These stories are colourful but remain anecdotal.

What makes the Trip rewarding is the mix of documented brewing heritage, genuine cave architecture and inherited folklore. A visitor can enjoy the tales while noting how much rests on tradition rather than record, and appreciate the pub as a working example of Nottingham's underground history.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is a working pub in central Nottingham, operated by Greene King, serving food and drink to the general public with no admission charge. It keeps normal pub hours, and its historic rooms and cave areas can be enjoyed while visiting for a meal or a drink.

As a busy, much-visited inn, it can be crowded at peak times, and some spaces are reached by steps. Please treat the historic building, staff and other customers with respect, and check current opening hours before travelling.