These traditional pubs have been serving the locals for centuries – take a trip through time and find out more about their fascinating pasts.
While Manchester’s skyline is ever-evolving, there are certain pockets of the city that seem to stand still. These historic watering holes have stood the test of time, retaining all their antiquated charm and serving up a slice of heritage with your pint of mild. Here’s a closer look at some of Manchester’s oldest pubs.
Castle Hotel
Credit: Cordelia Robinson
The Castle Hotel might be best known as one of the city’s most coveted grassroots music venues, but it wasn’t always the case. The historic venue was initially a pub, with roots as far back as 1776. It’s had many guises over the years, and its music hall was unveiled in 2010.
Its brown tiled exterior is iconic, while inside you’ll find an old-fashioned layout with multiple rooms, a small bar and a parlour. With mosaic floors, patterned ceilings and etched glass panels, there’s plenty to look at, while a varied lineup of bands keeps the place packed out.
What? Now a live music venue, this Northern Quarter legend has a storied past as The Crown and Sceptre.
Where? Castle Hotel, 66 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE.
The Old Wellington
The Grade II-listed Old Wellington has a storied past. Sitting pretty in Shambles Square, the half-timbered building is the only surviving Tudor building in Manchester city centre. Initially built in 1552, it was the birthplace of Manchester writer John Byrom, and later became a pub in 1830.
The building was damaged in the 1996 Manchester bombing, before being moved and reassembled some 300 metres closer to the Cathedral. The move was completed in 1999, when the pub reopened to the public. Visit today and you’ll find cask ales, traditional pies and a characterful interior. It’s well worth a look.
What? Manchester’s last-surviving Tudor building, famed for its timbered charm and traditional pies.
Where? The Old Wellington, 4 Cathedral Gates, Manchester, M3 1SW.
Sinclair’s Oyster Bar
With roots tracing back to 1720, Sinclair’s is another stalwart of Shambles Square – in fact, it’s actually attached to The Old Wellington. It picked up its current moniker in 1845 when oysters were added to the menu – a fashionable accompaniment to ale in the Georgian times.
As a Sam Smiths venue, old-fashioned values are preserved, so don’t expect to wander in and sit with your phone out. Expect real ales, a friendly atmosphere and plenty of relics to explore. It’s ever-popular on match days, especially with travelling away fans, so prepare for crowds. The beer garden is one of Manchester’s best.
What? A Grade II-listed pub serving pocket-friendly pints and a tech-free, olde-worlde atmosphere.
Where? Sinclair’s Oyster Bar, 2 Cathedral Gates, Manchester, M3 1SW.
The Mitre Hotel
The third of the Shambles Square trio,The Mitre Hotel dates back to 1815 and has survived multiple historical events, including the Manchester Blitz and the IRA bombing. The grand Georgian building is Manchester’s oldest hotel and still welcomes guests to this day.
Step inside and you’ll find modernised interiors – a notable contrast to the hotel’s neighbours, which retain many of their original features. Serving 2-4-1 cocktails, home-cooked food and even afternoon tea, it’s a popular choice for people visiting the city for events at nearby Manchester Arena.
What? Manchester’s oldest hotel, blending historic charm with modern hospitality.
Where? The Mitre Hotel, Shambles Square, 1-3 Cathedral Gates, Manchester, M3 1SW.
The Sawyer’s Arms
The Grade II-listed Sawyer’s Arms is believed by many to be one of the oldest pubs that’s still standing in its original place. Dating all the way back to 1730, the pub closed down briefly in the eighties, only to be reopened by its new owners, Nicholson’s Pubs.
It’s dramatic from the outside, with a rounded facade and a corner placement, while inside you’ll find dark wood panelling, a sweeping staircase and a central bar area. There’s hearty pub food and handmade pies, alongside perfectly-kept cask ale and a large range of gins and whiskies.
What? Known for its traditional British fare and real ales.
Where? The Sawyer’s Arms, 138 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2RP.
The Lower Turk’s Head
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If you’ve ever spotted The Lower Turk’s Head from the outdoors without venturing in, you’d be surprised at how big it is. Dating back to 1745, it’s one of Manchester’s oldest pubs, packed with vintage charm, from its tile-fronted exterior to its panelled walls and checkerboard flooring.
You’ll find three hand-carved wooden bars inside, including a small cubbyhole bar upstairs. The heated outdoor terrace is a fine place to while away the hours with a pint – and with 30 keg taps and 12 cask pumps, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
What? A Victorian gem with a rich history, offering cask ales in a characterful setting.
Where? The Lower Turk’s Head, 36 Shudehill, Manchester, M4 1EZ.
Oxnoble
You don’t often find pubs named after potatoes, but The Oxnoble is one, thanks in part to its proximity to Castlefield’s Potato Wharf. Originally opened in 1804, the city centre pub was initially named The Coopers’ Arms before taking on its current identity in the 1840s.
Visit today and you’ll find classic pub food including an epic Sunday roast, along with plenty of beers, wines and spirits behind the bar. Situated just around the corner from the Science and Industry Museum, it’s a great place to enjoy a drink in their beer garden on a sunny day.
What? A classic pub known for its hearty meals and welcoming atmosphere.
Where? Oxnoble, 71 Liverpool Road, Manchester, M3 4NQ.
The Briton’s Protection
As skyscrapers are built all around it, The Briton’s Protection stands proud, serving up historic charm, unique interiors and a friendly Mancunian welcome. Built in the traditional Regency style, the pub dates back to 1806, and has a fascinating story behind it.
In the early nineteenth century the pub was commandeered as an army recruitment centre for the Napoleonic wars, while some believe that victims from the 1819 Peterloo massacre were taken to the pub and laid on the bar. Visit today and you’ll find interiors largely intact from the 1930s.
What? A historic pub sitting in the heart of skyscraper-land, with a vintage interior and vast whisky collection.
Where? The Briton’s Protection, 50 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester, M1 5LE.
The Peveril of the Peak
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With its green-tiled exterior, stained glass windows and dramatic Victorian oak interiors, Peveril of the Peak is one of the most iconic pubs in Manchester. Dating back to around 1820, its storied past includes being used as a brothel by GIs during the Second World War.
It’s reputed to be haunted, with long-serving landlady Swanick reporting to have seen glasses levitating and ghostly goings on. Today, you’re more likely to discover quality pints, proper pub snacks and a lineup of loyal locals who’ve frequented The Pev for years.
What? One of Manchester’s most distinctive pubs, known for its green tiles and triangular shape.
Where? The Peveril of the Peak, 127 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester, M1 5JQ.
The Circus Tavern
Small but charismatic, The Circus Tavern has roots dating back to the late 1700s, and was initially built as a house before being converted into a pub in around 1840. Step inside and you’ll find one of the smallest bar tops in Europe, stretching just a few feet.
The pub has always been popular with football fans – specifically the Red type – and its rooms are decorated with sporting memorabilia. United legend George Best even used to drink there! Order a pint and be prepared to rub shoulders with the locals – with space for up to 45, it’s an intimate affair.
What? One of the smallest bars in Europe and a haven for the Reds.
Where? The Circus Tavern, 86 Portland Street, Manchester, M1 4GX.
Crown & Kettle
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Ancoats’ Crown & Kettle is a truly imposing venue. Standing proudly on the junction of Oldham Road and Great Ancoats Street, it became a pub in 1800, but there are records of the building itself dating back to 1734, one time being used as a courthouse.
Inside you’ll find ornate interiors, with soaring ceilings, intricate plasterwork and a snug decked out with wood panelling sourced from a historic airship. It’s a freehouse, so expect a varied selection of beers and ciders behind the bar, all served with a very warm welcome.
What? A stunning Gothic-style pub with plastered ceilings and chandeliers.
Where? The Crown & Kettle, 2 Oldham Road, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 5FE.
The Kings Arms
First licensed in 1807, the original Kings Arms actually stood on the opposite side of Bloom Street, before being replaced by its current red brick home in the 1870s. Back then, the pub had a dance hall upstairs and rooms which you could rent out by the hour.
Today, the much-loved pub is a hive of community arts, and even has three theatres, so there’s plenty to keep you entertained after you order a pint of real ale. It’s worth a visit alone for its vintage interiors, which include a high-stool bar, brass fittings and an excellent jukebox.
What? A Salford pub with a rich history, now a hub for live music.
Where? The Kings Arms, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN.
The Temple
There aren’t too many bars housed in former public toilets, but The Temple – or the Temple of Convenience, as it’s affectionately called – is up there with the best. Its time as a Victorian toilet dates all the way back to the 1800s, but it’s been one of the city’s best dive bars for decades now.
Head down the stairs into the subterranean bar and you’ll find a gritty, underground space, with graffitied walls, dim red lighting and retro band posters. Fun fact – it’s a popular haunt for musicians, and was the ‘hole in my neighbourhood’ referenced by Elbow in their hit song ‘Grounds for Divorce’.
What? A former Victorian toilet, now a quirky underground bar with a cracking jukebox.
Where? The Temple, 100 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester, M1 5JW.
